Yzabelle Bostyn
BRITS and locals are demanding answers after waiting more than six weeks for a refund following a string of cancelled concerts in Marbella.
Many expats and tourists had been looking forward to events from international stars like Blue, Pete Tong and Nancy Ajram.
However, just a week before they were set to start, promoters Fiesta Live cancelled all but one of the star-studded events.
Just Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics concert on August 10 was left standing, with ticket holders for other events offered tickets for Tong or refunds.
Now, more than six weeks after the events were cancelled, ticket holders are still waiting for their money back.
Altogether, four concerts were cancelled including: Centreforce 883 x Clockwork Orange (August 7), Arabian Nights (August 8), Generation: Music (August 9) and Drum and Bass Club Night (August 11).
In a statement released on August 1, Festival Live said: “The transitory nature of Marbella in summer and the reliance on last minute ticket sales meant it became too big a risk, which ultimately led to this decision.
“We will be contacting ticket holders by email to explain the process of switching their tickets or requesting a refund.”
In the six weeks since then, concert goers have flooded local Facebook groups and the promoter’s social media, demanding their money.
Cathy Smith, who paid €120 to see Generation: Music featuring Blue and Chesney Hawkes, called the situation ‘morally wrong’.
The 51-year-old said: “People have worked hard all year and looked forward to these concerts, some even flew over here and got hotels only to find there was no concert.
“I would never buy tickets for anything again, it’s really bad for Marbella.”
In a statement given to the Olive Press, Fiesta Live said: “We sincerely apologise for the delay in processing refunds for the FIESTA shows at Marbella Arena in August.
“Our management team is working diligently to ensure that all refunds are completed as quickly as possible.”
They added: “We understand that we have exceeded our standard 14-day refund policy, and we deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused.
“Please rest assured that we are fully committed to honouring our obligations and will continue to prioritize this matter until all refunds have been processed.”
The organisers behind Fiesta Live, Steve Durham and Bill Blenkarn, have apologised to punters.
