I won two tickets in a competition!

[Exconsumercardo]

Dear reader,

 

I would be grateful if you could please advise on the following?

 

I recently entered a competition, with a reputable company, to win 2 tickets to a Bank Holiday dance music festival. I was very lucky to win 2 tickets and I invited a friend of mine to come along.

 

I arrived at the venue at 12.30 a.m, only to be told that tickets wouldn't be accepted after 12.00 a.m but their website clearly states that the last admission is 1.00 a.m. I tried to reason with the door staff but they wouldn't compromise. I was told that we could enter but we would have to pay the full entry fee.

 

I've never been so embarressed in my whole life and it reuined a perfectly good night.

 

Do I have any legal rights in this matter?

 

Thank you

[buzby]

Take it up with the promoter of the offer - the firm that supplied you with the tickets as your 'prize'. What you describe is quite common, it is the venue that provides the tickets at little (or no cost) to the promoter often in return for some reciprocal publicity. The tickets would then specify the time period when they were valid, What the website states is immaterial to your complaint, if there was no indication from the promoter or on the ticket that admission was required before midnight, then you have a justified claim, but would you really want to go back?

[Exconsumercardo]

Buzby,

 

Thanks for the advice. The tickets were actually e-tickets that were emailed to me by the promoter. The email consisted of details of the event, date, time and a three digit number that you give at the door together with your name and post code. To be perfectly honest I would never go back to the venue but I guess I'm seeking some sort of compensation from the promoter such as a couple of tickets for a diffferent event.

 

Best regards

[buzby]

What you ask isn't unreasonable - but in this day and age, the value attached to such a promotion matches the value of the ticket(s). Because they donlt cost anyone really anything, and knowing that after the pubs close, clubs have no difficulty in getting paeople to pay high prices for their admission in order to keep on patying, you may find they'll be sympathetic, but not much else.

 

As for enforcing your 'right' if they don't voluntarily offer a compromise, you'll be hard pressed to make them do so if they're not interested. The 'eqivalent value' may be so low as to making a formal (court) action a pointless additional expense.

 

I recall other similar deals of 'Romantic' Free Weekends away - you were given a double room FoC, but you had to pay for a 3 course meal (for 2) and as this often meant the bill was up to the £120 odd, the room wasn't really free at all, just a hook to get you to buy the meals!