NO CHAIRS ALLOWED AT FLEETWOOD MAC SHOW TONIGHT (HUNTER VALLEY)

Chair ban at Fleetwood Mac's Hope Estate concert

BY ALISON BRANLEY

The Herald

CONCERT promoters typically want bums on seats, but it's the seats that have been banned at Fleetwood Mac's Hope Estate concert tonight.

General admission ticket holders have complained that promoter Andrew McManus Presents has changed its seating policy at the last minute.

Fans say they were initially told full-size chairs were banned but low beach chairs were allowed.

However, Ticketmaster sent an email to ticketholders on Thursday informing them all chairs were banned.

Silvana Dugac, of Adamstown Heights, said she had a bad back and should not have to sit on the ground for seven hours, nor should the elderly or disabled.

"If I had known beforehand I don't think I would have gone," she said.

"Most of the people there are going to be over 40, it's not as if they're expecting wild crowds."

Michael Hope, of Hope Estate, said their general concert policy allowed low chairs but the promoter decided to change the rules for this event because of the 19,000 strong crowd.

Some of the confusion arose because the general information notice on the Hope Estate website said low chairs were allowed at concerts before it was updated this week.

Ian Weir, site manager for Andrew McManus Presents, said the company made the decision in October to try to limit seats in the general admission area for safety reasons because of the size of the crowd.

There will be more than 7000 people in the general admission area at tonight's concert.

Mr Weir said Ticketmaster had sent out a number of emails to ticketholders informing them of the rule, and Thursday's email was the final reminder.

However, Mr Weir said people with medical conditions would be permitted to bring in low chairs if they had a doctor's certificate or other evidence.

Ms Dugac said it was unfair to give people so little time to get a certificate.