PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Barbara Hoyle
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 01:22 PM

I wholeheartedly agree re the warning Mr Red and would advise anyone considering booking for next year's proposed Pickering Folk Festival to be extremely wary.
It seems a strange coincidence that Simon Boak's phone call to theleveller was apparently made after an article appeared in the Malton and Pickering Mercury. A case of too little,too late as far as I am concerned.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,JR
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 01:42 PM

Let's be fair here. Refunds had started PRIOR to the article being published.

There is a very good chance that this is a business that has been doing it's best in very difficult circumstances.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 03:28 PM

"I can imagine Pickering have a cash flow problem and if the business ethic is not of the best order you can imagine there is a tactic in play. Quieten the loudest and those wot don't shout don't want."

Don't understand what you mean by that. I've nothing against businesses organising festivals on a proit-making basis, as long as they're good festivals that are value for money which, to be fair, is what Pickering seemed to be at the time. Let's face it there are some unbelievably crap festivals about run by rank amateurs who haven't the least idea what they're doing and some run for profit that are equally crap.

If you don't think money should be an issue, then you can't believe that there should be professional folk performers. Fair enough - I can see the argument for that but, in the end, you pays yer money (or not) etc etc.

Personally, I'm going to wait and see what happens.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: theleveller
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 03:29 PM

Sod it. Keep losing my cookies on this computer. That was me.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Barbara Hoyle
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 01:40 AM

JR,
The phone call from Simon Boak to theleveller appears to have been made after the publication of the article, and after the Events Office had been contacted by the newspaper re the matter.
I suspect that you are not one of the people who has spent countless fruitless hours merely trying to elicit any response from the Evnts Office, let alone an honest one.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Beany
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 04:57 AM

Barbara, I am delighted that you have received your refund. However they cannot be doing this in alphabetical order as they originally stated that they would as our surname is before yours! I wonder if its because you had sent the recorded delivery letter and threatened another one?
It was me who contacted the Malton and Pickering Mercury and spoke at length to Sheila, a reporter there. I have just read the article - whooppee. Lets hope that this is the start of the end to this sad state of affairs. Fingers crossed for my refund.
Beany

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Barbara Hoyle
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 05:48 AM

Beany,
I don't understand the logic either;as with any telephone contact made with the office,the story changes daily.
I had in fact posted the second recorded delivery letter, which stated that legal action was imminent,immediately prior to receiving my refund.
Congratulations on your efforts re the Malton and Pickering Mercury.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Captain Sensible
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 06:10 AM

If the business has shelled-out money they cannot recoup, they indeed have cashflow problems, and those that threaten will be dealt with first. Punters, by and large, will be slower than businesses to respond - the Folk world is a trusting place until bitten.

Whatever Pickering Festival do, it will be event-driven because they probably don't have cash left over from reciepts, and were probably banking on late sales anyway.

Whether you like the way they are doing it, or not, the only sensible way to deal with it is to understand their position, and act. Which in this context is to give them a big motivational push. Like publicity, like the law. And do it before there is literally no money to be got, law or no law you can't get it if they declare bankrupcy. Except maybe pence in the pound.

Would credit card payments protect you in this context (within a month of the festival)? I don't know.

And was this the first year of the festival? If it was, caveat emptor.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 06:19 AM

Would credit card payments protect you in this context (within a month of the festival)? I don't know.

If it does apply then it is only for sums over £100.00

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 states that the lender of money for a purchase is jointly responsible with the seller for the purchaser getting the goods or service purchased, or receiving a full refund if they do not receive the goods or service. What this means in practice is that if you paid more than £100.00 by a UK issued personal credit card (but not a debit or charge card), then you can claim ALL the money you paid (irrespective of how you paid it) provided that the maximum contrcat value does not exceed £30,000, back from the card company or lender if you do not get what you bought.

However be prepared for the card company to resist. Well there's a surprise!!

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 06:21 AM

Sorry I meant to say basically I think it is statute of limitations as far as time is concerned i.e. six years. It begins once you are aware of the problem.

And I am not a solicitor - I do not purport to give legal advice.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 06:23 AM

Hi
I got a phone message from the main man last night apologising for the delay & promising me my refund next week.
I've got my fingers crossed!
Jude

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 08:01 AM

Thats good news Jude
Les

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Besty at work
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:06 AM

That's very good news Villan , isn't St.Jude the patron St. of lost causes.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Sarah Derry
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:30 AM

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Sarah Derry
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:43 AM

Sorry!
I clicked before I popped my message on. Just to let you know I have just come off phone to a pleasant lady at the Events Office. She said commencing from last week they're saying to people it will be 6-8 weeks for refunds to be made and definitely before Christmas - although I got the impression this may not be in alphabetical order?. She seemed keen to help and took my name and was apologetic so yet again, I'll take their word for it and wait (with hopefully not mis-placed) confidence!
But this is the last time, then I'll be following Barbara's example. I did mention this forum and they knew all about it! Thanks for all who organised the newspaper article/sent recorded mail.

Sarah

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: nutty
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 12:20 PM

Once again we can all thank Max for providing (at no cost to anyone) this wonderful Forum which enables everyone to get together.

When you get your refunds you could 'click on the fish' and send a small thankyou.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 01:27 PM

Funny, I'm sure I posted a very mild comment wondering whether, for all we knew, we should be haveing sympathy for an organiser who tried his best but now has his business and maybe house on the line.

Just a stray thought.

Did I get modded or was there a glitsch in the ether?

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: nutty
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 01:44 PM

Save your sympathy for the poor people who have been fighting to get their money back.

The organiser is an established business man who (up till now) has not treated his 'customers' with the respect they deserved after trying to support his enterprise.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 02:38 PM

Couldn't have said it better Nutty.

We can do without people like him in the folk world.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 04:46 PM

You may very well be right - but I don't know, so I asked.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: theleveller
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 04:04 AM

I certainly think we can thank this forum for helping to get our money back (which I'm now fairly confident we will) and I'd also like to thank The Villain for his work in bringing it to the notice of the press. Cheers Les.


This has all served as a salutory lesson for anyone seeking to organise a new folk festival but I hope it won't put off those who genuinely want to break new ground. If it hadn't been for people with vision and determination, we wouldn't have the superb Folk On The Moors events created by Richerd and Jeanette Grainger or new festivals like Shepley.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 04:53 AM

No Problems theleveller.
I don't like seeing people done.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,aelfleda
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 10:25 AM

Got my cheque & a letter of apology this morning.
Thanks everyone & hope that those of you who haven't had your refunds yet get them soon.
jude

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 11:01 AM

Thats excellent Jude

Do you know what the line up is for Moor & Coast next year yet?

Cheers
Les Worrall

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,M&C Chris
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 11:49 AM

Guests we're hoping for at next years Moor and Coast include Vin Garbutt, Something Nasty In The Woodshed, Anthony John Clarke, Ember, Dan McKinnon and a few others who've slipped my mind. Looking forward to it.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Crow
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 11:51 AM

Sounds good. Will definately make it then. Is it really the last one?!

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 12:39 PM

Hi Chris
Thanks for that.
Blimey is that true that it is the last one. What will whitby do with all its fish and chips.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Miss Jones
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 06:48 AM

Hello, does anyone know are the refunds going out in alphabetical order as I haven't still seen anything! We are moving house on Monday and I don't want to think a cheque has got lost in the redirected post!!!
Hels

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: theleveller
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 08:01 AM

I doubt if they're going out in alphabetical order. I received mine yesterday and my name begins with 'T'. Maybe they're going out in order that they were booked - I booked mine quite early one. Maybe there's no order at all. If you're moving, contact them and give them your new address.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 08 - 01:03 PM

They can't be going out in alphabetical order - my surname begins with B and I'm still waiting. About to start the electronic / county court process now.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Qwertyco
Date: 05 Dec 08 - 07:39 AM

December the 5th 2008, and Mr."P" is still waiting for his alphabetical £300 refund.

Apparently the box office is closed yesterday and today because the staff are all at the showground.

Presumably shoveling snow about!

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Guest, Newcastle
Date: 09 Dec 08 - 05:48 PM

December 9th and still no refund. Might be worth getting on to the news paper guy again. Will have to go back through the posts to find his details. I think the events office should get lots of negative publicity, if for no other reason than to stop others losing their money with these crims.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 09 Dec 08 - 07:58 PM

Hey, folks,
Bitter experience tells me, I was once booked at a festival at Harewood outside Leeds, years ago, where everybody in music was booked, nobody was ever paid.
I regretfully feel that you paid your money to an absolute crook, who never had any, whatsoever, intention of holding a festival in the first instance,and knew folkies were nice people, but very gullible.
Look,please, for example, at the other festivals over that date.They all co-incide.warning?
Look, again, at the all artistes booked. Look at the prices, ok? My wife and I said at the time that it was identical to one of the Halifax festivals in the 60/70s where everybody in the world was booked, nobody was ever paid, lots of the audience suffered Hyperthermyia, no pay, no money back.... it was the weather....yeah, sure.
Experience helps...you aren't getting your money back..,. Boak is a F..... thief. You lost this one, be careful in future.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 02:23 AM

To Save people looking back for the newspaper contact detials, here it is again.

The Gazette & Herald that covers North Yorkshire are willing to run an article on this problem.

If you phone David Jeffells on Mobile [phone] or Home 01723 863395,

Basically, if you are still owed money for tickets that you paid for the 2008 Festival or are owed money for services, he would like to talk to you, so that he has a story to go with.

He would like people to offer their name, but stated that it wasn't necessary if you so wished.

So this is your big chance to get this situation plastered all over the North Yorkshire newspapers.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 03:48 AM

My wife and I said at the time that it was identical to one of the Halifax festivals in the 60/70s where everybody in the world was booked, nobody was ever paid, lots of the audience suffered Hyperthermyia, no pay, no money back.... it was the weather....yeah, sure.

It was held at Barkisland as I remember. And the weather was awful. if the audience suffered hypothermia in the middle of August, you can reckon that the weather was bad!!

Not really a comparison IMHO.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,yoyo
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 12:10 PM

You shouldn't be so nasty about Simon Boak!!

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 03:55 AM

hey, Yoyo,
Why not?

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 04:18 AM

Ho Ho Ho, why not? Is he going to be Father Christmas and deliver all the money he owes to all the goodly folkies he owes it too?

He has yo yo'ed people around enough as it is.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,MC Fat (at work)
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 04:23 AM

Some you may not be aware that the dialect work for sick in Scottish is 'BOAK' as in 'It's enuff tae make ye boak' i.e. 'It is enough to make one vomit'. Quite apt really

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: stallion
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 06:58 PM

Hey I don't think Mr Boak is a crook. he was a businessman who needed to maximise the profits from the showground and took a punt at running a folk festival and it went tits up, it isn't pleasant to have to deal with the aftermath and many of them must feel wretched, yes and a whole lot are waiting for their money, which may or may not arrive. I stick by my post at the very outset of this venture wher i wished them well but in my experience successful folk festivals grew from little acorns and didn't appear overnight as it were, caveat emptor!

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,yoyo
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:27 PM

Everyone makes mistakes!

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 01:22 PM

Just seen this post on the Pickering Forum by somebody called Jimbo.

>>
Posts: 1
Re: Pickering Folk Festival Launched
Reply #9 - Today at 15:30:10 Quote
BEWARE ALL POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS WHO EITHER SUPPLY
OR BUY FROM THE EVENTS OFFICE ORGANISATION.

THEY ARE A BUNCH OF THEIVING NO GOOD W******.

BECAUSE THEY CANCELLED THE PICKERING FOLK FESTIVAL I AM OUT OF
POCKET TO THE TUNE OF £600 FOR SUPPLYING THEM WITH SERVICES FOR
THE EVENT TOGETHER WITH OTHER NUMEROUS SUPPLIERS AND ARTISTS.

DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR THIS BUNCH OF THEIVING CON ARTISTS OR
YOU WILL LOSE A LOT OF MONEY.

HOW MANY PUNTERS BOUGHT TICKETS FOR THE FESTIVAL AND HAVE NOT HAD
A REFUND YET ????

WE ARE SUING THE ARSE OFF SIMON BOAK AND IF THEIRS ANYONE OUT THERE
WHO HAS BEEN SCREWED BY THIS ORGANISATION AS WELL, LET ME KNOW
IT WILL ONLY ADD TO THIS GUY GETTING SCREWED BY THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

WATCH OUT SIMON, YOU NEVER KKNOW WHO'S GOING TO TAP YOU ON THE SHOULDER
WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT !

<<

http://theeventsoffice.co.uk/msg/YaBB.pl?num=1208273995/0

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 08:25 AM

The proper contraction for 'there is' is there's. Theirs is the 3rd person plural posessive pronoun- which should be their.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Dravinger
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:28 PM

Just received a letter to say The Events Office has ceased trading but another company is acquiring some of the Events Office business... What's the betting that the 'new' company has the same set of directors or owners?

Fat chance of getting any money back from them now.

They have offered a free pass to next years festival (now called "The Yorkshire Folk Festival") even if you have had a refund. This sounds good to start with until you ask yourself what the line up will be - if we are struggling to get a refund what about the bands? So what chance of a line up of a similar quality or any of the acts who were supposed to play last August?

Question is can you trust them? I don't.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,Karen L
Date: 08 Jan 09 - 07:17 AM

I'd like to hear of anyone who has had sucess in claiming thier money back through small claims court. Also is anyone goingto go for this ofer of free pass to next year's event? I don't know what to do? I'm going to contact watchdog programme.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 09 - 07:20 AM

I'd be very suprised if many artists. traders or anyone else would touch this event with a bargepole now (apart from anything else if the weather is bad in May it isnt beyond the realms of possibility the same thing could happen again - it being the Vale of Pickering after all)

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 05:25 PM

Greycap, you're a COCK! "BOAK IS A F***ING THIEF!!!" Ain't that a bit strong? I'm more inclined to side with Stallion's version of events. I truly hope that people get their refunds of course but at least Mr Boak is trying to settle the matter albeit slowly! If he was a f***ing thief, don't you think he may have made off with all the booty? I, for one, hope he succeeds with his events because, having gone to many of them for years, they're successful, well-organised shows. He appears to have got his fingers burned with this one but I still reckon he'll come back bigger and bolder. He's not a conman. Probably just a businessman that was out of his depth. One other thing to mention is that, if he had no knowledge of the folk music scene, then how on earth did he manage to get together such a fabulous line up? I wish him and all of you well and hope that the matter resolves itself quickly.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 05:45 PM

May I also suggest that The Villain's posting that was taken from the Pikering Forum may be a tad defamatory. I'm very surprised that Mudcat have allowed this to be posted. If I were Mr Boak I would be looking very carefully at this thread with my legal advisor in response. Threatening behaviour is insinuated too. Not very good or professional Mudcat, regardless of Mr Boak's activities.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: GUEST,yoyo
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 01:31 PM

Simon Boak is just a business man who has made a mistake. All his other events are very good.

Subject: RE: PickeringFolkFestival Are you owed money
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 02:07 PM

100.
Greycap is a respected performer who has earned his living on the folkscene for many years.
Simon Boak owes a lot of people money,
anonymous guest,piss off.