Wedding Day Marred by Wheelchair Ramp Delay at Newland Hall

Jenni Pettican, a wheelchair user, faced a significant delay during her May 16th wedding to Ian Pettican, directly caused by the absence of a vital ramp.

Her immediate reaction was visceral: "My heart just sank," she stated, directly challenging the situation with, "How am I supposed to get up there?"

Pettican confirmed she had checked a ramp providing access to the gazebo on the morning of her wedding.

She maintains staff subsequently relocated the ramp, offering assurances it would be returned before the ceremony.

When the ramp finally arrived, Jenni Pettican observed, "They got it upside down, got it the wrong way round."

She reflected on the inherent danger, stating, "If I'd fallen off that ramp, again the venue would have been liable."

Jenni Pettican expressed the profound impact of the incident, stating, "I had 100 people watching me. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment I'm never going to get back."

The remainder of the wedding day reportedly proceeded without further accessibility issues, yet Jenni Pettican stated, "It tainted the day for me."

She added, "We have a beautiful picture of us going back down the aisle, but all I can focus on is the ramp."

Difficulties with accessibility at Newland Hall reportedly began months before the wedding day, Jenni Pettican claims.

She claims informing Newland Hall about guests with various disabilities, receiving assurances it "wouldn't be a problem."

Jenni Pettican alleges Newland Hall intended to lock the Grade-II listed Tudor house on the site during her reception, a move that would have blocked the only step-free route between the garden marquee and the car park.

She claims an initial request for an increased deposit to keep the doors open, citing insurance considerations, amounted to an attempt to "charge me more for accessibility."

Jenni Pettican recounted extensive discussions, stating, "I was explaining the importance of disabled people being able to be independent, not having to ask to unlock the door."

This back-and-forth continued for approximately "about a month," during which she confirmed, "I called out the Equality Act."

Newland Hall came under new ownership on June 1st, 2026, after the wedding, adding a layer of complexity to post-event communications.

Jenni Pettican states the greatest letdown has been the absence of accountability following the event, claiming Newland Hall failed to accept responsibility in their responses to her formal complaint.

She confronted the venue directly, stating, "I said no one has acknowledged this, no one has apologised for this, and I need to make sure you're going to do better."

Jenni Pettican highlighted the broader context of her experience, explaining, "I deal with access issues every single day."

She continued, "It's a very frustrating and sad part of disabled life. But the one day I didn't think I would have to deal with it was my wedding day."

Her husband, Ian Pettican, has been significantly affected by Newland Hall's post-event conduct.

Jenni Pettican noted, "My husband has been really shocked by how the venue has behaved afterwards."

She added, "If they had apologised and taken accountability and explained how they would do better, things would have been so much better."

Pettican concluded, "We're only going to do better when we take accountability and learn from it."