Comments on: Letdown by Beachdown – WHERE is my REFUND?

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:17:35 +0000

A company called “Marks Bloom” are managing a CVA arrangement for future festivals. If you haven’t got any money back for your beachdown ticket you need to contact them to get a claims form. I sent an email to info@marksbloom.co.uk. The information I got back is:

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1. The CVA proposal states that if creditors are paid 20p in the £ (ie 20% of the debt owed to you) then this will be considered full and final settlement of the debt.

2. The CVA is reliant on a third party paying £60,000 per year for the rights to run the Beachdown Festival this summer (and in 2011 and 2012). If the first payment is not received this year, the CVA will fail and the company will go into liquidation, and with no other assets it is extremely unlikely creditors will get anything.
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By: minx

minx — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:50:55 +0000

I think that none of these people should ever be able to run a festival again!and certainly im surprised that (if i have read the info on the website correctly!)the company hasnt gone into liquidation and may be able to run it again !They not only must owe money to punters and ticket sellars-what about the independant traders-some of wich rely on the summer festivals as their main income-they dont trade there for free-they have to pay for their pitch and its not cheap!Those directors who were in “dire straights” financially surely should have been aware that it was looking bleak way earlier-the worst thing is i know some traders who were unsure wether they should trade at this years one because of the rubbish organisation last year and gave them the benefit of the dought as it was its first year! so wanted to support it one more time!and some even gave them money the day before it was cancelled(bit odd wouldnt you say!!!)in good faith and with re-assurance that this year would be better.I dont think that alot of the traders (or the people they hired equipment etc from) will touch beachdown with a bargepole if they tried to run it again!!They should have had way more respect for those dissapointed and angry people that were giving their festival support.(hiding away and not having any answers the day and week following its cancellation was a bad move)good luck to everyone trying to get results!

By: doorstomanual

doorstomanual — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:56:47 +0000

Joe Pidgeon has been a Director of FOUR companies (not including Future Festivals) that have gone into liquidation in the last 10 years. They are Touch Magazine, The Sorting Office, U Influence and Contenda. Many people have lost a great deal as a result. This is someone who couldn’t care less about other peoples’ money.
Good Luck.

By: £1000 down

£1000 down — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:03:14 +0000

I am in the same boat as Rob, having purchased the luxury camping as well for five of us! I would like to thank all of the people that have uploaded information on to this site as it has been extremely helpful. I am afraid that I can add my own bit of research which was that I was astounded to find that Joe Pidgeon was given an IVA in January of this year to stop his current creditors taking legal action action him. Being that I am not a person who undertstands anything to do with this – just a girl that fancied going to a festival because she couldn’t afford a holiday – I don’t understand how he can then be a Director of a company?

By: The Marrow Stuffer

The Marrow Stuffer — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:06:58 +0000

As yet, Future Festivals are not in liquidation, which means that for the time being, ticket holders can pursue Festival Futures through the small claims court should this become necessary.

The Director’s personal addresses are provided only as a means of delivering a request for a refund or other small claims related documents – given that their office is known to be cleared there is little point sending anything there, but letters delivered to their home address can be considered delivered to Festival Futures for this purpose. Just put Mr X, Festival Futures, C/o etc… on the envelope.

Obviously the Directors won’t be personally liable for the refunds, that is after all, the point of a limited company. But should Trading Standards find evidence of illegal behaviour on their part they can be personally prosecuted and fined.

At the end of the day though, you are right. With all the best efforts, refunds, most especially for those who paid in cash, are looking decidedly unlikely.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:19:02 +0000

I’ve just been told by Consumer Direct that the Directors of Beachdown aren’t liable to pay unprotected refunds as they are not the Company (i.e. it’s not a Limited Company) they are only employees of the Company.

C.D. were helpful and honest and said if you’ve bought an uninsured ticket, by cash or cash card, then you’re unlikely to see a whole refund and you can’t take the Directors to the small claims court because it’s the Company that’s gone into liquidation not them.

I’m gutted and want to know next steps, help!

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:23:29 +0000

Thanks for this advice. I brought a number of vip luxury tickets direct from beachdown and have needless to say been left massively out of pocket. I spoke to consumer direct who said it’s worth writing a registered letter to both the company address and a personal address – stating that they are in breach of the ’supply of goods and services act’, they are in breach of contract and full refund required, response within 14 days or contacting small claims.

They also recommended contacting the insolvency services 0845 602 9848 to determine if there was any money to recover…and therefore whether worth taking to small claims.

The statement from Resident gives me hope that future festivals are trying to do something about refunding…but the way they have dealt with it up till now gives me none – my guess is they are playing games with Resident.

If future festivals don’t honour their obligations we need to make sure they never profit from brighton again.

By: James Cheetham

James Cheetham — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:26:37 +0000

Hey Antonia, I was also going to be volunteering and paid my deposit in cash. What are your plans? Are you writing a letter?

By: Antonia

Antonia — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:28:30 +0000

Thanks for this advice, it’s been really useful. Consumer Direct were very helpful. I’m writing as a volunteer who not only expected a festival, but the cost of the ticket back when I had worked my shift. I think the biggest slap in the face has been the total silence/ lack of acknowlegdment.

By: Alison The Marrow Stuffer

Alison The Marrow Stuffer — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:53:30 +0000

I received an email from Natasha and Derry at Resident this morning, which sheds some further light on the much spoken about section 75 of the consumer credit act, under which a refund can be claimed from the credit card company in the event of a cancellation. This quote, taken from their email, explains how going down this road only makes things easier for the beachdown organisers and more difficult for local outlets like resident:

“…if people do successfully claim a chargeback from their credit card company, they will take the money back directly from us (or Rounder or wherever else they bought it) without any notice, not from Future Festivals, leaving us to try to claim the money back from them. They’ll also charge us for taking the money from us, making us even worse off.

…At the moment we’re still attempting to get an answer from Future Festivals as to whether they are adequately insured & have any way of coming up with the refund money themselves. Any credit card claims will only lessen Future Festivals obligations & frankly, we think they should pay every penny themselves not just to ticket holders but to everybody else who’s lost money because of their failure.”

Brighton Fusion wholeheartedly agrees. Please think about the impact on our local businesses before utilising your rights under the Consumer Credit Act.