A WHEELCHAIR-bound visitor to the Medieval Event at Abergavenny Castle on June 9 was told that both she and her carer would have to pay full admission to get in despite her being unable to enter alone.

Author, Meg Kingston, had telephoned the event’s organisers and says she had been assured the event was fully accessible but she states that the ground was uneven and not negotiable without her carer’s assistance.

‘We ended up having to hand over £10 for something that I and quite a lot of other people have said was sparse and not really worth five pounds.

“There wasn’t much there and we felt ripped off.’

She emailed the organisers with her complaint but states she was not given a proper apology and no offer of a refund.

Her book, The Monster and the Rainbow: Memoir of a Disability, tells of the trials of living with a chronic illness.

The Castle event, featuring The Freemen of Gwent - a medieval re-enactment group, had been described as an day of ‘War and merriment,’ with Councillor Bob Greenland (pictured), Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for cultural services stating that the event would be, ‘Fun and interesting for all ages as it brings medieval history to life.’

Head of the tourism, leisure and culture for Monmouthshire, Ian Saunders said, ‘Monmouthshire County Council apologises for any distress caused to Ms Kingston during her time at Abergavenny Castle’s recent medieval event.

‘A full refund has been offered and we will work towards ensuring future events are accessible.

“We aim to make our visitor experiences positive and enjoyable in all our venues and we are in the process of reviewing our accessibility polices where we hold events.

‘We welcome feedback from visitors and take such correspondence very seriously.

“In this instance, we will be looking at improving accessibility and communication of events at Abergavenny Castle and Museum.’