Disabled punter forced to leave pub for being in a wheelchair

This is the shocking moment a wheelchair-bound student was carried out of a bar by bouncers – for being a SAFETY HAZARD.

Troy Hitchins, 20, had gone to the pub to enjoy a drink with friends on Saturday night when he was told he was posing a health and safety risk.

Shockingly, a duty manager told Troy – who suffers from cerebral palsy – he could only stay in the premises if he could stand up.

But because he can only stand with the aid of sticks, two burly bouncers were made to carry him out of the The Kings Head, in Harborne.

Troy was removed by bouncers

Stunned pals managed to capture on a mobile phone the moment Troy was hauled from the bar and carried down two flights of stairs by the doormen.

Troy, a talented wheelchair basketball player, said he felt “disgusted” and “humiliated” by his ordeal and accused the pub of discrimination.

He said: “Would they have said to a blind person, ‘you can stay if you can see’?

“I felt embarrassed, I felt really embarrassed when door staff carried me down the stairs.

“I felt everyone was watching me. I didn’t argue when they said I could stay if I could stand because I’m not an argumentative person.

“It was the first time I’ve been in the pub, but I won’t go back.”

Troy, from Newtown, Birmingham, had needed carrying up to the bar’s Attic Music Lounge by his friends because the disabled lift had broken.

But bouncers told the group Troy had to leave because the broken lift meant his presence breached health and safety regulations.

Troy’s family now want to know why staff allowed friends to carry him up the stairs in the first place and have demanded an apology.

Mum Zakalin Sloly said: “When I saw the picture of Troy being carried down the stairs, his head bowed, I could tell he was absolutely mortified.

“They say it was for health and safety reasons, but I thought you can’t use a lift when there’s a fire.”

The pub has since apologised on its Facebook page but stressed the actions were taken in the best interests of Troy and his party.

General manager Richard Perry also pointed out the group were informed they could use the ground floor bar and did.

In a lengthy Facebook post, the pub’s boss Mr Perry said staff were unaware Troy had been taken upstairs.

He added: “On behalf of the Kings Head, I would firstly like to apologise for any ill feeling felt by the disabled gentleman identified in the photograph.

“This was by no means intended.

“This decision was taken to comply with health and safety practices and to negate any risk to any disabled persons and our non-disabled patrons.

“To comply with the Equality Act 2010 we would offer the use of the ground floor to any person unable to utilise the Attic.

“It was also agreed the gentlemen and his party of between 20 to 30 would be allowed to carry on their night on the ground floor, which we would keep open past our normal closing time, until they left which was at 1.45am on Sunday.

“We have liaised with our legal representatives Capita to ensure we have complied with current discriminatory legislation and also Health and Safety legislation.

“We are deeply sorry for any confusion caused and we aim to ensure all affected parties involved in this matter are treated with the utmost decency.”