THOUSANDS of music lovers are devastated after the popular Boomtown festival was cancelled today over Covid insurance fears.
Over 70,000 tickets have been sold for the event which was due to take place from August 11 to the 15th near Winchester, but organisers axed it this morning.
1
A lengthy post on Instagram revealed owners are concerned there is no Covid-specific cancellation insurance for events – adding there is “no safety net to support” them if the event was to be cancelled.
The festival claims it would be gambling up to an “eight-figure loss” if the event was not able to go ahead.
Instead, it will take place in August next year.
But can you get a refund for your ticket? We explain what we know so far.
Can I get a refund?
With the price of Boomtown tickets starting at £199 for this year’s festival, Brits who bought one will be keen to know whether they can get their money back.
Your rights if a gig, festival or event is cancelled
IT can be disappointing if an event you’ve been looking forward to has been cancelled.
If you forked out hundreds of pounds for a ticket, you’ll be wanting to secure a refund and get your cash back.
Here’s what you need to know about your rights to a refund:
- In the first instance, you should approach the company which sold you the ticket.
- If you bought your tickets directly from the event organiser or a specialist ticket retailer, such as See Tickets or Ticketmaster, you are entitled to some protections, according to consumer body Which?.
- These firms are required by the industry’s regulatory body, the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, to refund the ticket’s face value price when an event is cancelled.
- If the event is rescheduled and you’re unable to make the new date, you can also request a refund.
- However, it is unlikely you’ll get the delivery costs or booking fees back.
- Unfortunately if you purchased tickets from a secondary seller you may have less luck
- These sellers do not face the same requirements and so are not required to give you a refund – although some may.
The good news is you can get a refund for your ticket because the event has been cancelled.
However, you’d better get a move on, as you have until May 30 to apply for one.
You can get a refund on all types of Boomtown tickets, including any extras you paid for including accommodation, lockers and phone charging facilities.
How can I get a refund?
Head to TicketSellers website to request a refund.
This is the website that tickets for Boomtown were being sold on when they were available for sale up until February this year.
When you purchased your Boomtown ticket, you will have set up an online account.
Log into your account, and head to the refunds and rollovers page.
This is where you’ll be able to get your money back.
When will I get my refund?
Boomtown festival’s website says it will be processing refunds from mid-June onwards, which could take up to 28 days.
After this, it could take up to five days for the cash to land in your account.
This means it could be near the end of July when you get your money back.
If you haven’t received your refund by this point, Boomtown festival says to contact TicketSellers directly.
You can contact the company via email at [email protected] or call 0121 472 6688.
Can I roll my ticket over to next year’s Boomtown festival?
All tickets that were brought for this year’s event will be rolled over to next year’s if you don’t apply for a refund.
Next year’s Boomtown festival will take place on August 10 until the 14th.
Any extras you added onto your ticket will also be rolled over too.
Boomtown festival hasn’t confirmed yet if customers wanting to keep hold of their tickets for next year need to do anything, or whether they’re being rolled over automatically.
But we’ve asked Boomtown for more information and we will let you know as soon as we know more.
Are other festivals being cancelled too?
So far, big festivals like Reading, Leeds, Parklife, the Isle of Wight Festival, Camp Bestival and Creamfields are still going ahead this year.
But Glastonbury, which usually hosts nearly 200,000 fans, was cancelled at the beginning of the year and will be held online in May.
The festival is still yet to confirm whether a smaller event it has earmarked for September is going ahead.
Like Boomtown, Glastonbury will roll over tickets for next year’s festival.
POT LUCK
Martin Lewis explains how workers on low incomes can get a ‘hidden’ pay rise
SUMMER SUN
Tesco selling rattan garden furniture set £250 cheaper than B&M and The Range
HOME LOAN
New 5% deposit mortgage scheme launched – banks with best rates and fees revealed
ON A ROLL
Greggs launching 2 new vegan products after success of plant-based sausage rolls
FUEL FURY
Big change in petrol for drivers could add £6 onto cost of filling up from Sept
CREDIT FLAW
Universal Credit loophole means thousands of key workers could lose £500 bonus
If you’re worried about a holiday you’ve booked, it is worth working out what your rights are.
You also may have rights to sick pay if you have to self-isolate in the coming weeks.
Fancy a back-to-basics holiday? Here are some campsites with availability for summer.
Reading and Leeds festival-goers will ‘almost certainly’ need Covid vaccine passport
