Refunds

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

Hi All

We had three tickets for 2020.But one of our group has left us. We are keeping two tickets but requested a refund for the third.

Time has passed but no refund has been made. Anyone else received the money? Should I be worried?

[Ian Ross]

Still waiting for our ticket refunds. Blue bell tents have already refunded for glamping though. Good on them at least.

[Jim]

Theres people dying, and youre worried about how quickly youre going get a few bob refunded?
Nowt so queer as folk.

[davidmjs]

Theres people dying, and youre worried about how quickly youre going get a few bob refunded?
Nowt so queer as folk.

I think that's a bit harsh, Jim...some people are in genuine financial hardship at the moment...

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

We had booked a caravan for Crop, they have easily postponed it until next year at no extra cost... good result.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Hi All

We had three tickets for 2020.But one of our group has left us. We are keeping two tickets but requested a refund for the third.

Time has passed but no refund has been made. Anyone else received the money? Should I be worried?

If you look on the Fairport website they've said that the company organising the refunds is under huge pressure as they operate out of one of the venues that has been commandeered as a hospital. I'm sure you'll get it soon.
I quoteP:
"The Ticket Factory (who look after the Cropredy box office) will process your refund request. But please be patient – as you can imagine their staff (who are working from home) have been inundated with cancellations in recent weeks so there may be delays."

[Ian Ross]

Theres people dying, and youre worried about how quickly youre going get a few bob refunded?
Nowt so queer as folk.

Yes. You are right. "Mea culpa".  I should have replied much as Bridgwit(Bridget).

Having said that (and although - fortunately - it does not apply to me), davidmjs also has a point. And getting on for £400 is more than "a few bob" - it's about what it costs me to feed this family each month.

Still - sorry I rushed into posting without fully thinking it through originally.

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

No apology from me.

We are an N.H.S family.  I am a retired Nurse with over 40 years N.H.S service trying to live on a pension. My wife works in a busy Ultrasound department. We are both socially isolated for severe health reasons. Our daughter (who lives with us ) is a care assistant in a Nursing Home, she is laid off to protect us. We know very well about the state of the Nation.

We appreciate the 1 minute of applause every Thursday, but it doesn't feed us or pay the bills. I don't see why a corporation like Ticket Factory should be allowed to keep our money, they take in in seconds ,but two weeks later they are holding on to sending it the other way. We are holding on to two tickets as an act of faith to the festival. There are loads of corporate sharks out there trying to rip us off .

If Jim thinks the nations money is better in the hands of big business than in families then that's his opinion and definitely not mine.

All I was asking was "Has anyone actually received a refund"?  I don't trust Private enterprise not to do a runner.

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

This may be a daft question, but how are they going to identify which tickets have been refunded and which haven’t when people arrive next year at the gates?  Do you have to send them back before getting a refund?

[davidmjs]

This may be a daft question, but how are they going to identify which tickets have been refunded and which haven’t when people arrive next year at the gates?  Do you have to send them back before getting a refund?

Yikes.  Now, there's a thing.... Good question.  They're not barcoded, then?

[vince42]

Yup.

You didn't notice the ticket being scanned when you got your wristband then?

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

Yup.

You didn't notice the ticket being scanned when you got your wristband then?

No, but even if that is the case, this could still prove problematic...we all know of blips in technology. My partner said they might issue new tickets for 2021 to those not claiming refunds.

[Jim]

If Jim thinks the nations money is better in the hands of big business than in families then that's his opinion and definitely not mine.

All I was asking was "Has anyone actually received a refund"?  I don't trust Private enterprise not to do a runner.

Jim doesnt think festival goers money is better off in the hands of big business.
I do, however, think that if people have paid upfront for festivals which were some months away then the money wasnt desperately needed to put food on the table or keep the roof over heads.
     I trust the Cropredy organisers to pay up if refunds are required, but with businesses in shutdown and / or understaffed because of absenteeism due to the virus then it is inevitable that refunds will take time due to the sheer volume of refunds that are going to be wanted.

[Shane (Skirky)]

I do, however, think that if people have paid upfront for festivals which were some months away then the money wasnt desperately needed to put food on the table or keep the roof over heads.

Six weeks ago we didn’t desperately need money to feed the family either. Then the next three months’ work got cancelled.

[David W]

     I trust the Cropredy organisers to pay up if refunds are required, but with businesses in shutdown and / or understaffed because of absenteeism due to the virus then it is inevitable that refunds will take time due to the sheer volume of refunds that are going to be wanted.

Isn't part of the issue that FC have now outsourced the ticketing and the money is held by the agents not by the "band", I can't believe that when Fairport  Towers were fully in charge such problems would be occurring.

DW

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

Absolutely correct.

Its why I am concerned. A month on and as far as I can tell no refunds have been issued. Easy for the Ticket Factory Corporation to declare itself bankrupt and run off with our money.

Wonder if any of the gathered thousands have been passed on to the band yet?

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Absolutely correct.

Its why I am concerned. A month on and as far as I can tell no refunds have been issued. Easy for the Ticket Factory Corporation to declare itself bankrupt and run off with our money.

Wonder if any of the gathered thousands have been passed on to the band yet?

No refunds have been issued? None at all? How can you be sure of this?

On the FC website there's a link to contact Gareth - might be worth you doing this to put your mind at rest.

[davidmjs]

Absolutely correct.

Its why I am concerned. A month on and as far as I can tell no refunds have been issued. Easy for the Ticket Factory Corporation to declare itself bankrupt and run off with our money.

Wonder if any of the gathered thousands have been passed on to the band yet?

In which case you'd be fully covered by the credit card company/paypal (if you paid with either of those options)?

[GarethW]

Hello All.

I have just spoken to The Ticket Factory and so far they have issued tens of thousands of pounds worth of Cropredy refunds and are continuing to work through the backlog. To give you some idea of how busy these good folk are - working from home - I had to time the announcement of our postponement to fit in with them in case they were overwhelmed. At the time, our account manager at TTF was working on his 170th event cancellation. They are THAT busy. However, there is no danger of them going 'bankrupt' so please can we avoid such talk? I am fully aware how scarce money is at the moment as I too, like FC themselves, have lost my regular income. I can assure you that everyone who has requested a refund will receive one. I just ask once again that you please be a little patient with the over-worked TTF. It is just over 2 weeks since the announcement. TTF are under instruction by me that if they require further funds to pay back our customers, they need only ask and we will give it to them. There is absolutely no danger of refund requests not being honoured.
 
In answer to some of the other points raised here -
Yes, the festival has received money from TTF. That's why we left Paypal. TTF have been bending over backwards to help us since this crisis began. We are one of their favourite events and they love coming!
No one in 'corporate land' is deliberately hanging on to your money. They are simply ploughing through an enormous number of postponed/cancelled shows, made immeasurably more difficult by working at home.
All tickets for this year will be valid for 2021. They are barcoded and all will be scanned prior to the issue of a wristband. All refunded tickets will be cancelled.

If you still haven't received a refund and you would like me to take this up individually for you, I am happy to do so. Please contact me via the website and give me the name of the person that paid for the tickets, their email address and the ticket reference/order number on the email. TTF will be happy to investigate on an individual basis and get back to me - or contact you direct.

[delfini (Diane)]

Thanks Gareth. It’s good to have the facts, and hopefully it’ll put an end to the speculation.  Stay safe. See you next year.