Refused deposit for cancelling party

[Computer125]

I have cancelled the venue for my daughters party due to ccoronavirus . The party was meant to be this Sunday 22nd March. However they are refusing to give me back my £60 deposit. I automatically thought i would get it back as its unusual circumstances. Not sure what i can do. Any suggestions ? Thanks

Where we are soft play are all open until Monday and then reviewing moving forward.

One has cancelled parties after this weekend the other hasn't.

Financially, they need parents to cancel as much as possible, to keep those deposits.

I don't think you understand the concept of a deposit.

I had to cancel my daughter's party this weekend too, they offered me a gift voucher or another party slot.

I'm still in pocket as I don't have to pay for the full party now so every cloud

You could think outside of your own little bubble. That's what you can do.

I had to cancel my child's party this weekend. We happily accepted the offer to rebook within 12 months.

I don't understand the comment about it not being the same months after your birthday either. My eldest son had one party about 2 months after his birthday as when I should have been booking his birthday party, my mother was seriously ill in hospital and we didn't know if she would make it or not. He still had a great party, just not very close to his birthday.

A birthday is just a date, its a bit like Christmas. Many families now have multiple Christmas days with travelling to family, in-laws, divorced parents etc. The kids have great fun eating too much and getting loads of presents multiple times, they don't care some of their Christmas celebrations aren't on the correct date.

I've just potentially lost £300 on a school trip 🤷‍♀️

No voting button? Sorry OP you know and have now accepted the outcome.

Hope your daughter has a lovely birthday

"But Rose, it's also not good business sense to try to keep impossible to please, entitled and demanding customers who end up being more trouble than worth as well."

Possibly not, but it's heartening to see that OP, and several other posters on this thread, have been offered the chance to rebook at no extra cost, and in one case a voucher as well. Not everyone sees disappointed customers during a pandemic as demanding and entitled

Its not just businesses that are affected financially but individuals aswell.

Hear hear.

Think of it this way, if your family had woken up with a vomiting bug on the day of the party you would still have cancelled and you’d expect to lose your deposit

In a time that should be a national emergency (but the government is treating it as a minor inconvenience), individuals shouldn't be penalised financially for doing the right thing.

It's not at all like a vomiting bug that hits just one family.

Look at it this way OP. You wouldnt have the money if the party was going ahead, and you won't be able to book another one at this point.