Concert-goers were left in tears outside of the venue
KATSEYE performing their tour(Image: Jeff Moore/PA Wire)
Hundreds of fans were left in tears outside Manchester’s Co-Op Live as they were denied entry to KATSEYE’s only concert in the city as part of their 2026 tour.
The girl group rose to fame after appearing on hit Netflix series Pop Star Academy to compete for a place in a brand new group, led by HYBE x Geffen who are responsible for major K-Pop groups.
Fans claim they lost hundreds of pounds after being turned away from Co-op Live because under-16s were not permitted in standing areas – with some only finding out when they were queuing outside the venue.
Many parents who were excited for their children to attend, what was for many of them their first concert, were left out of pocket after buying tickets for the standing area.
A spokesperson from Co-Op Live told the Manchester Evening News: “As standard, the venue’s standing floor area is restricted to guests aged 16 and over. This information was included within the event terms and conditions at the time of purchase through official ticketing platforms.
“On the night, our team worked to support any affected guests and, where seats were available, offered alternative seated tickets. Unfortunately, seating capacity was limited and we were not able to accommodate everyone.”
People responding to the backlash have placed blame on the parents instead, adding that they should have checked the tickets carefully before purchasing.
Under a Facebook post regarding the chaos, one person penned: “It was quite clear when they went on sale that standing had age restrictions!”
Another user shared their own ticket which underneath in the terms and conditions showcased the age restrictions at the venue, with someone else adding: “Standing is always age restricted. This is common sense”.
A concert-goer in the comments detailed their own “disappointment” after requesting a refund when noticing the restrictions. “I bought tickets and then noticed the age limit when the tickets came through, so I had to get a refund. It was in the small print. I had a very disappointed daughter, but glad I realised,” they wrote.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Natalie Cunningham explained how she had paid a total of £568 for four tickets through third-party seller Hellotickets so she, her friend and her friend’s two daughters could attend what was supposed to be the girls’ first concert.
At the venue, she said staff told her they could not help because the tickets had been bought through a third party. “We tried it twice,” she said. “They said, ‘It’s third party, we can’t do anything about it.’”
The family eventually left without seeing the concert with Natalie estimated around 500 people were outside the ticket office trying to resolve similar issues. “Her youngest was crying all the way home,” she said. “So yeah, it was horrible for the girls. It’s really horrible.”
On the Co-Op Live website itself, the venue states: “Anyone aged 14 or under must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. Anybody under the age of 16 is not permitted in the standing area. Please note that Co-op Live reserves the right to remove or re-seat, if possible, any child who appears to be under the age of 16 for safety purposes.”
However, many disappointed concert-goers purchased their tickets through third-party sellers, which Co-Op Live confirmed manage their own pre-event communications.
A Viagogo spokesperson: “We understand how disappointing it is when someone is unable to attend an event they were looking forward to. In this case, the venue imposed age restriction for standing tickets was clearly displayed on the listing and the review page before purchase and also in the confirmation email. We encourage all fans to check event organiser restrictions on our site carefully before completing an order. Our customer service team has been in contact with the buyer to provide support.”
Manchester Evening News have approached Hellotickets and Ticketmaster for comment.
