SCORES of customers have voiced their anger at not getting refunds for music festival, Park Proms 2021, despite email confirmation.

Park Proms 2021 was due to take place at Broadlands Estate, in Romsey, on August 27 and 28 but was put back until 2022 due to the pandemic.

Now, four months on, people who bought tickets to the event have said they feel 'disappointed' after promised refunds have not materialised.

Pensioner Heather Carpenter, a retired PA from Salisbury, spent £438 on eight tickets in April 2021.

She said they had bought the tickets to celebrate the end of lockdown and a friend’s 60th and another's 70th birthday.

The 77-year-old said: "I am extremely annoyed to have spent all this money for an event that sounded amazing, particularly after lockdown. I am most upset that I am having to fight for my money."

Iola Hawkins, 53, from Romsey who works at Southampton Solent University, has also not been refunded despite receiving email confirmation that she would be.

Ms Hawkins and her friend paid more than £400 for eight tickets to the show, which advertised big names such as Pixie Lott and Scouting for Girls.

Ms Hawkins said that her and a friend from school had hoped to use the event as a reason to get the two families together.

She said: “It would have been nice to get our teenagers together. It also would have been nice to have a refund by Christmas.

"We put our paperwork in as we were told to do so. I had confirmation my refund was being processed. I had confirmation we would get a refund and we haven't.

"I've done everything in good faith and I want my money back. I can't attend next year. I can't believe they can just get away with not refunding."

Customers were initially offered to carry over their tickets to 2022 or receive a refund with the organisers giving a deadline of six days to submit a claim form (by July 27 2021).

Ms Hawkins submitted her refund claim on July 21 with a confirmation on July 27 that it was received.

She has since tried contacting the organisers on several occasions through different methods such as email, phone, post and Facebook.

Michael James Hlavaty, director of the company behind the event, Podium Events Group, which is based in Southampton, said plans were underway to hold the show in 2022.

Mr Hlavaty is the director of Podium Events Group, the organisers of the 2021 show, which according to Companies House is under compulsory strike off measures. A new business called Park Proms 2022 was registered as a private company on November 10, with Mr Hlavaty listed as director.

Mr Hlavaty said Podium Events Group is not being dissolved but has not yet made comments about the status of Park Proms 2022.

Mr Hlavarty said people who had bought tickets to last year's show could transfer their tickets to the new event - but he ruled out any further refunds saying all refunds had been completed.

Mr Hlavaty said: "We're looking forward to our show next year and we're hoping to start selling tickets in the new year. All tickets from this year have been rolled over to 2022.

"The tickets can be rolled over to next year or transferred to someone else. We understand it's frustrating but we're working to our terms and conditions."

Not all customers were happy about rolling their tickets over with some saying they never saw any terms and conditions but instead have written evidence of confirmation that they will be refunded.

Sharon Farrell, 59, a retired bank manager from Marchwood, bought six tickets in March for £299 because James Morrison was headlined.

One of her friends is a big fan of James Morrison and had they received the refund, they would have paid to see James live in Bournemouth next year.

She has applied for a charge back from her bank account on the tickets but has not yet received a refund.

She said: "It doesn't look right. It's disgusting, I feel like they are hiding from it. I am totally disgusted and disappointed but we wouldn't pay to go back to Park proms next year, definitely not."

Richard Jordan Baker, director of Broadlands Estate, said they still planned to hold Park Proms 2022 with many of the same headline acts as 2021 scheduled.

He said: "Broadlands continues to work alongside the third party promoter Podium Events, and other promoters, to bring concerts and other new and exciting events to the estate next summer. We are looking forward to welcoming residents of Romsey and further afield to all our 2002 events."

Get more Salisbury news

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date, as well as signing up for one of our newsletters.

If you want online news with fewer ads, unlimited access and reader rewards - plus a chance to support our local journalism - find out more about registering or a digital subscription.

Email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk with your comments, pictures, letters and news stories.