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Original poster

Matfen Hall cancelled 2022 weddings

47 replies

Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 08:27

I live in Northumberland and know loads of people who've got married here including a friend who was meant to be getting married June 2022. The venue is beautiful and an award winning wedding venue, yet the new owners have decided that any weddings from 2022 onwards must have a minimum spend of £20k regardless of what was agreed in the customers original contract. For some this is apparently a 400% increase and for many, they only have a few months to either find a new venue, cough up the money, or cancel.

I've worked as a wedding manager in many venues in the north east, including venues which changed hands during my time there and we always honoured prices wherever possible.

Could you imagine if this was your wedding, especially those who are already onto their second/third dates due to the pandemic?

OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:14

It is written into most venue contracts that they have the right to change the pricing but such a shitty thing to do!
I wouldn't be able to find that money at such short notice and would be even more upset if it was my rebook date.

OP posts:
Shadedog · 14/09/2021 10:23

I got married at matfen hall over 20 years ago and I’m staggered that anyone is booking a wedding there for £5k. It was £60 a head then iirc. The new owners have been there a while, June 2022 is a while away, I sort of think it’s fair enough at this stage. They’ve honoured the more short notice ones but have reached their limit.

Mariell · 14/09/2021 10:27

They have bent over backwards to honour as many precooked wedding prices as they can so it’s only a few that are having to pay more.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Weddings
Mariell · 14/09/2021 10:27

Prebooked!

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:29

June 2022 isn't that far away!
Most other venues are already booked up for next year with pushbacks from last year and earlier this year.
If you've already paid all your other suppliers you could lose all those other deposits if they can't do a new date or venue for whatever reason.

I'd be absolutely heartbroken if it was me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:36

@Mariell

They have bent over backwards to honour as many precooked wedding prices as they can so it’s only a few that are having to pay more.
Tbf I've missed that. Where does it say that? There are just so many couples affected by this including my friend and I'm gutted for them!
OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:37

@Mariell

I don’t believe that the cost will have gone up by 400% for some people!

Where have you got that figure from and how are you privy to how much people have already paid for their wedding?

Oh sorry, missed this, it's from a FB post by one of the couples affected. If you search for this on FB or Twitter, even LinkedIn people are sharing the emails from matfen
OP posts:
GoWalkabout · 14/09/2021 10:38

New owners, their business. Why should they honour contracts they didn't sign.

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:39

@Mariell

In response, Matfen Hall said it had already "absorbed" the costs and honoured 56 weddings under the previous owner's price structure and said they were honouring a further 63 weddings planned for the remainder of this year, and first part of next year, at previously agreed prices which were "loss-making."

It said that it had been placed under strain following weddings taking place this year, originally planned to take place during the three Covid lockdowns, resulting in staff working overtime and new guests being "turned away."

A spokesperson for Matfen Hall told The Echo: "Millions of pounds have been spent so far refurbishing and improving the surroundings and the feedback from all our guests has been entirely positive.

"Our 2022 weddings are selling very well at prices above £20,000, which we believe is the market rate and is proven by numerous couples willing to spend that amount and more.

I missed this Sad

Still seems strange that the weddings are loss-making now when they weren't for the previous owners though?

OP posts:
Mariell · 14/09/2021 10:42

How is it strange when the new owners have had a multi million pound refit?

I’ve posted all this information already!

The venue, which was taken over by the Northumberland-based Walwick Estates Group last summer, underwent a multi-million-pound refit during the first Covid lockdown.

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:43

@GoWalkabout

New owners, their business. Why should they honour contracts they didn't sign.
So you wouldn't be bothered if this happened to you?
OP posts:
Mariell · 14/09/2021 10:44

When did your friend book her wedding?

When she saw the new owners were spending millions on a refit she could have decided for herself that the chances are the prices may change.

C8H10N4O2 · 14/09/2021 10:45

@Mariell

Basically a non story.

Company gets taken over and new owners so their best to honour existing bookings over a period of time but then have to introduce a new price structure that will effect some bookings.

Its not a non story for anyone faced with trying to find a new wedding venue in less than six months when every venue in the country has a backlog of demand.

Why would customers trust them not to change their minimum spend again up to 25K or 30K? Considering a "new owner" can be an existing org restructuring and voiding contracts as a consequence (as happened at a popular venue in our vicinity a few years back).

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:46

She asked at the time the new owners came onboard and was told she would be contacted if prices changed and if she cancelled at that point she would have lost her deposit.
She's only just been contacted this week.
Owners have been in since August last year

OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 10:49

@Mariel for someone who thinks this is a non-story, you're quite invested in this thread.

OP posts:
theemmadilemma · 14/09/2021 10:55

I just saw someone share this. Awful for the poor people they've fucked over.

Mariell · 14/09/2021 10:57

[quote Biancadelrioisback]@Mariel for someone who thinks this is a non-story, you're quite invested in this thread. [/quote]
I’m replying to your unfair criticism of the new owners and pointing out the facts.

ISeeTheLight · 14/09/2021 10:57

It was all over Facebook this morning. It's an incredibly shitty thing to do. It's virtually impossible now to find a venue for the same date in 2022 - we booked ours a month ago and had to go 2023. Incidentally we shortlisted Matfen Hall as we're in the North East and it fitted our requirements - DP wasn't too keen; he didn't like the vibe he got from the people involved. Very glad we didn't now.

These couples will have already booked most of their other suppliers (florist, photographers etc) and if they change the wedding date (or even venue) in all likelihood be liable for high amendment/cancellation fees.

I also think they've shot themselves in the foot. Our wedding is well over the new minimum spend so we'd be allowed to book Hmm but there is no way I'd book it now (even if DP loved the place) - what if they decide next year that for 2023 they want even more money? Yes it's a desirable venue but they've shown to be no longer trustworthy. They have an open day this weekend (I was planning on going; probably not now) so that will be interesting for sure.

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 14/09/2021 11:02

I don't think it is unfair criticism

OP posts:
PneumoniaInCromer · 14/09/2021 12:26

Nobody can get married because of the Afghanistan people, it's true.

RunningStrong · 14/09/2021 12:45

@ISeeTheLight

It was all over Facebook this morning. It's an incredibly shitty thing to do. It's virtually impossible now to find a venue for the same date in 2022 - we booked ours a month ago and had to go 2023. Incidentally we shortlisted Matfen Hall as we're in the North East and it fitted our requirements - DP wasn't too keen; he didn't like the vibe he got from the people involved. Very glad we didn't now.

These couples will have already booked most of their other suppliers (florist, photographers etc) and if they change the wedding date (or even venue) in all likelihood be liable for high amendment/cancellation fees.

I also think they've shot themselves in the foot. Our wedding is well over the new minimum spend so we'd be allowed to book Hmm but there is no way I'd book it now (even if DP loved the place) - what if they decide next year that for 2023 they want even more money? Yes it's a desirable venue but they've shown to be no longer trustworthy. They have an open day this weekend (I was planning on going; probably not now) so that will be interesting for sure.

It's a high status venue that's just had loads of free publicity about just exactly how high status it is. I'm going to bet the open day will be very busy indeed
TaraR2020 · 15/09/2021 09:30

@SW1amp

Why do you want views on something that doesn't seem to affect you?

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