The excellent Andre Rieu concert last Friday at the SECC in Glasgow was badly affected by the lack of audience management and completely unacceptable seating for a 21st-century audience (Letters, December 10).
The first half of the programme had to be stopped after 10 minutes to allow hundreds of people waiting outside to enter the venue, affecting the wonderful ambience of the event. To add to the misery, the same happened after the interval when the restart was delayed while audience members were again late taking up their seats, leaving the orchestra sitting on the stage trying hard to hide its amazement.
Surely the tickets should have specified that everyone be seated 10 minutes before the start of the performance with latecomers not being admitted until the interval.
A public announcement should have been made to the effect that the interval would be 15 minutes with a five-minute bell sounding around the arena to ensure all would be timely seated for the second half.
If a large number of the audience last Friday was delayed because of unforeseen traffic problems then the start should have been delayed.
The Edinburgh Tattoo eventually had to give in to pressure to provide modern seating which had satisfactory leg room for safety and comfort. The space and comfort of the tiered seating in the SECC was shocking.
It made for a very uncomfortable evening with many knees being inserted in the backs of the people in front. This magnificent event deserved better management.
Andre Rieu's justified critical comments about Glasgow venues while highly amusing were fully justified.
Iain J McConnell,
Speedybank, Gifford, East Lothian.
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