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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

having a wibble, Manchester Arena related

90 replies

staydazzling · 27/04/2019 13:21

booked an event that's happening later on this year, happening at Manchester Arena, at the time I didn't think about the events and it later occurred to me, dh and I having a bit of a wibble now. I'm trying to reassure myself that security should be really tight there, and assuming events have happened there since but I'm curious what would everyone else do?

OP posts:
IVEgottheDECAF · 27/04/2019 14:23

My eldest two dc have both been to the arena (seperately) since the attack. They were both 9 when they went. Security is understandably shit hot. Its probably one of the safer venues to go to BECAUSE of what happened

One love Manchester 🐝

Ellisandra · 27/04/2019 14:24

My 9yo cousin was at the concert. Luckily they were early out so it was mostly chaos behind them rather than around them. 3 months later, she was at another arena concert venue. Without a “wibble”.

You have 2 choices: live your life or don’t.

Freshprincess · 27/04/2019 14:25

Security is incredibly tight. You can’t get anywhere near the entrance without a ticket.
You walk through airport scanners, they restrict the bag size you can take and do proper search. And this was for the strictly tour, packed to the rafters with kids and ladies of a certain age.

You couldn’t be safer.

MsFanackerPants · 27/04/2019 14:35

Security is very tight. Bag checks before you get in and only bags of a certain size allowed. There are also often armed police patrols in the area. A friend of mine was at a concert there not long ago and at the end a man was waiting with a large bag. Security and armed police surrounded him and made him open and empty it out.
I get the train in that station every day and it is more secure there than it ever has been.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 27/04/2019 14:46

I've just been to a a few gigs, the security is tighter at every arena.

Although at one i did hear a woman complaining "what do they think we're bringing in to a concert?" Hummm i wonder.

At the bigger arenas you have to walk through airport style magnetic gates.

It wouldn't hapoen at manchester arena again anyway everyones so so so aware of it now.

Manchester is one of the best arenas been too.

I'll always remember mark chapman's (five lives football corraspondant and mancunian) talking about it just before man u were playing in the champions league final jusg days later "my children have asked what we'll do now my reply is we'll go back to the arena and we'll sing and dance."
And honestly thats what you do you go and you sing and dance/watch/ laugh and you fo what an amazing city and arena and yoh have the best night

Have fun op

RomanyQueen1 · 27/04/2019 14:46

Security is very tight, I go past quite a bit, although haven't been to see anything.
Tbh, it's our school run and it's hard to get in sometimes due to the security.
I really wouldn't worry. Hope you have a great time.

Original poster
staydazzling · 27/04/2019 17:58

thanks for the replies they have comforted me and made me not be as worried.

OP posts:
mummmy2017 · 27/04/2019 18:02

Just don't try to take a big bag in they won't let you...
Very safe...

AuldJosey · 27/04/2019 18:03

@NannyRed

Not visit Ireland because of the IRA?

Please correct that to Northern Ireland. Thanks. Sick of British terrorists being attributed to Ireland.

Usuallyinthemiddle · 27/04/2019 18:03

I get your wibble. Security is superb though. Live your life xxx

UCOforAC12 · 27/04/2019 18:04

I went last month. The security was proper beefed up. It felt fine.

GabsAlot · 27/04/2019 18:11

id be more worried about other venues (but honestly im not) than that one-they dont target the same place twice

GabsAlot · 27/04/2019 18:12

i must say the security at the london stadium was shoddy last year though didnt even look in my bag and no scanners

JanetandJohn500 · 27/04/2019 19:35

I understand you completely. I went on Thursday and was apprehensive about it and felt very sad going in. However, security is now much tighter all around the arena (you can't get close without a ticket now) and there are bag and body searches.
I'm glad I conquered my arena demons- Take That were amazing!

PositiveVibez · 27/04/2019 19:39

I went to the Lowry the the other night and was shocked at the 'lack' of security checks tbh

I have been the Lowry for a few things and have always thought exactly the same. Before, but especially after the bombing of the Arena.

EggysMom · 27/04/2019 19:43

We've been to the Arena twice in the last year, tighter security, nothing to worry about.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 27/04/2019 21:28

Please correct that to Northern Ireland. Thanks. Sick of British terrorists being attributed to Ireland

Err sein fein???

Sorry but sein fein and the IRA were a ireland wide problem.

Gerry adams may be mister responsable TD now but he was a terrorist, the head of an organisation responsable for thosends of deaths
As was martin mcguiness

If Adams is british why the hell is he a TD.

which by the way your wrong because NI isnt part of Britian...its part of tje united kingdom the united kingom is formed of two parts (yes yes scotland and wales i know ypur not the same as england bit in this context you are part of GB) Great Britian and Northern ireland

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 27/04/2019 21:35

Ok i take back my example of GA - seems he is from NI but sein fain and the IRA were active in tje republic

JQBased · 27/04/2019 21:38

As an Irish person, I don't understand why the troubles in northern Ireland would be exclusively down to "British terrorists", I'm from Waterford and still not that blind to the Irish element, but that's for a different debate.

I've been to Wembley Arena a few times since and the security there is very tight, I assume all the big venues now have very tight security. You are right to be apprehensive, as someone who has worked in the police and whose family are pretty much various levels in the police currently, it's shocking to hear weekly how very real the threat of terrorism is but also how incredible and top class our police and intelligence people are.

Unfortunately, we can only be vigilant. If we stop doing stuff the ideology opposed to us wins, but as quick as people are on here to not see the threat, I understand completely why you would feel as you do. There are too many plots, too many people involved and too little resources to stop them all. Just live your life and have faith.

AnyFucker · 27/04/2019 21:41

It'll be ok, op. Live your life like nobody is watching.

Delilah2019 · 27/04/2019 21:48

You can’t even get a bar of chocolate in now security is so tight. You’ll be fine!

cricketmum84 · 27/04/2019 21:49

Security at the arena is very very tight, I took my teen son to a gig there last month and was surprised at just how tight it is. It does make you feel very safe though.

Try not to worry, everything will be absolutely fine. Just look forward to the event!!

AuldJosey · 27/04/2019 22:00

Because the IRA were Northern Irish (therefore British/part of the UK - point being NOT IRISH). Bombings were in Northern Ireland and I'm fucking well sick of Irish being lumped in with them.

AuldJosey · 27/04/2019 22:04

There were rare bombings in Ireland and they were again carried out not by IRISH, but by British.

People seem to think that NI & Ireland are the same. They couldn't be more different really!

NI belongs to Britain/UK couldn't care less what the terminology is, but the IRA were British Subjects I'm sorry to tell you.

Comefromaway · 27/04/2019 22:06

We live about half an hour away and my kids know lots of people who were there that night. A girl in the same year as my friends daughter at school was killed.

It was horrendous but life has to go on or you would never do anything.