Fans out of pocket after Ticket Tout site collapses
Thousands of music fans have been left out of pocket after an online ticket agency collapsed owing almost £2m, it emerged yesterday.
About 6,500 people have been hit by the demise of Ticket Tout Ltd, which traded via the website tickettout.com. Many forked out hundreds of pounds to see acts such as The Police, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys and Dolly Parton later this year, but have been warned that it is "extremely unlikely" they will get any money back, let alone the tickets they paid for.
This latest collapse of a ticket firm will pressure the government for a ban on the resale of tickets, which would, in effect, kill touting. Last month, culture secretary Tessa Jowell said she did not believe there was a need for such legislation.
Ticket Tout's demise comes a year after another firm, Getmetickets.net, was shut down by the government after being branded a rip-off. Yesterday it emerged there was evidence the director of Ticket Tout used to work for Getmetickets.net. Ticket Tout has been placed in administration and has shut its London offices. The joint administrators said total debts "appear to amount to just short of £2m, of which £1.4m relates to monies paid by consumers for tickets which cannot now be supplied".
In a letter to creditors, they said "a vast number" of people were expecting tickets for future events. "Regrettably, the company will be unable to provide these to you as it is not in possession of the tickets."
Fans took to the website bulletin boards yesterday to vent their fury. "I've paid out £175 to see Aerosmith in Cologne in June. Flights are already paid for. Don't think I will get any money back," said Paul on the BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat website.
· Those who spent more than £100 with a credit card may be able to submit a claim to their card company. A helpline has been set up by the administrators at insolvency firm Valentine & Co: 020 7194 1015.
Rupert Jones
Tuesday March 13, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
Thousands of music fans have been left out of pocket after an online ticket agency collapsed owing almost £2m, it emerged yesterday.
About 6,500 people have been hit by the demise of Ticket Tout Ltd, which traded via the website tickettout.com. Many forked out hundreds of pounds to see acts such as The Police, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys and Dolly Parton later this year, but have been warned that it is "extremely unlikely" they will get any money back, let alone the tickets they paid for.
This latest collapse of a ticket firm will pressure the government for a ban on the resale of tickets, which would, in effect, kill touting. Last month, culture secretary Tessa Jowell said she did not believe there was a need for such legislation.
Ticket Tout's demise comes a year after another firm, Getmetickets.net, was shut down by the government after being branded a rip-off. Yesterday it emerged there was evidence the director of Ticket Tout used to work for Getmetickets.net. Ticket Tout has been placed in administration and has shut its London offices. The joint administrators said total debts "appear to amount to just short of £2m, of which £1.4m relates to monies paid by consumers for tickets which cannot now be supplied".
In a letter to creditors, they said "a vast number" of people were expecting tickets for future events. "Regrettably, the company will be unable to provide these to you as it is not in possession of the tickets."
Fans took to the website bulletin boards yesterday to vent their fury. "I've paid out £175 to see Aerosmith in Cologne in June. Flights are already paid for. Don't think I will get any money back," said Paul on the BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat website.
· Those who spent more than £100 with a credit card may be able to submit a claim to their card company. A helpline has been set up by the administrators at insolvency firm Valentine & Co: 020 7194 1015.
Rupert Jones
Tuesday March 13, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
