Page 2 | No refunds for 'worry free' Matilda booking

soozw · 2021-12-16T14:56:37+00:00

Probably not many people are thinking of booking Matilda theatre tickets at the moment but if you do, be warned that their 'worry-free booking' is a joke. My son had covid symptoms (persistent cough and temperature) on the day we were meant to see the show. I took him for a PCR test. Of course he had to self-isolate so we couldn't go. I had bought ticket refund protection but they refused to provide a refund despite showing them the legally enforceable requirement for my son to isolate until his test came back. What was i meant to do? Go anyway? Break the law? Infect everyone? Thankfully it wasn't covid but how were we to know? There is no apparently no appeal. If anyone knows of any other way I can complain about the process can you let me know? The best I can think of it at this point is just to warn everyone you just might be throwing a lot of your money away if your child gets a cough or cold.

Brainwave89 · 16/12/2021 16:51

When are the tickets for? Could you could your losses and sell on Facebook or similar?

Lacedwithgrace · 16/12/2021 16:56

That's why we don't book ticket for anything in a pandemic

MalbecandToast · 16/12/2021 16:59

Just move the booking if people keep demanding refunds how will they pay the cast and crew?!

WheelieBinPrincess · 16/12/2021 17:03

@Lacedwithgrace

Must have been a boring couple of years for you then. Thanks god other people are more optimistic or there’d be no arts industry left.

PoshPyjamas · 16/12/2021 17:10

Surely though, if people decided they didn’t want to go they would just take a test and claim their money back. So YABU.

kwiksavenofrillsusername · 16/12/2021 17:10

Was it through one of these rubbish ticket insurers? We had trouble with one a few years ago. Couldn’t go to a panto because of heavy snow but they wouldn’t refund us because a weather report isn’t ‘enough proof’ apparently. Loads of similar reviews online.

We ended up complaining to the theatre directly, asking why they work with such a shabby company and why bother to even offer ticket insurance if nobody could claim? A couple of days later, the insurer contacts us to say they’d reviewed the case and they’d refund us. So it’s always worth complaining through different avenues if you can.

PoshPyjamas · 16/12/2021 17:12

This is why people are going out with symptoms

Yeah, it’s not though, is it?

GatoradeMeBitch · 16/12/2021 17:13

Just move the booking

On the afternoon of the performance?

Derbee · 16/12/2021 17:17

@Starcaller

Was it this?

'If you test positive for COVID-19, display symptoms, are asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace, or your local COVID-19 tier prevents you from attending, you can exchange your tickets.

If the show is cancelled due to COVID-19 or any other reason, you will be offered a free exchange or refund.
If the show is going ahead and you are able to attend, there will be no exchange or refund available'

If so, you have no leg to stand on.

Also, I don’t think it’s reasonable to have a PCR test on the day of the show, and use that as an excuse for a refund. Why not do a lateral flow, and attend if negative?

LittleMysSister · 16/12/2021 17:23

I think it's a bit tight of them not to offer you an exchange as obviously they know your son is not able to attend whilst experiencing COVID symptoms and awaiting a PCR result. You've just been really unlucky to have needed to get the PCR on the actual day of the event, but it really could happen to anybody. Some good will from them wouldn't have gone amiss.

spongedog · 16/12/2021 17:25

@PerseverancePays

As an aside, we took our grandson , albeit seven years ago, and every line was so over enunciated it was very hard to understand a word. And the singing was shrieking all the way through. We didn’t enjoy it t all. The child actor that played Matilda did a fantastic job delivering her lines, and you couldn’t fault them for enthusiasm, but it would have been nice to know what they were on about. We left half way through.

I'm another one who didnt enjoy it at all. I love London theatre, musicals anything like that. I cant understand the fuss at all.

But OP I dont think you fulfil Criteria 1. But did your son take the home test (LFT?).

Thewiseoneincognito · 16/12/2021 17:25

This is why I would not be booking any theatre tickets for the foreseeable future. It’s simply too much of a grey area and also the risk of infection is incredibly high.

girlmom21 · 16/12/2021 17:25

@LittleMysSister

I think it's a bit tight of them not to offer you an exchange as obviously they know your son is not able to attend whilst experiencing COVID symptoms and awaiting a PCR result. You've just been really unlucky to have needed to get the PCR on the actual day of the event, but it really could happen to anybody. Some good will from them wouldn't have gone amiss.

How are they supposed to afford goodwill for everyone who says someone's isolating when they can't be arsed to go anymore or have had something else come up, when they had to close for a year and a half?

Gizlotsmum · 16/12/2021 17:30

See I can see both sides. But my son had to take a test on Monday. Symptoms started during the morning. School called me at lunch time. We got a test within the hour and results came back 12 hours later. We would have had to miss any show booked and would have been ok going by the morning. However if they have offered an exchange I think that is reasonable.

LittleMysSister · 16/12/2021 17:31

@girlmom21 I really don't think that would be very common, especially for a kids show as they'll be looking forward to it, I doubt many would just drop out because they can't be arsed.

Either way though, I'd understand if OP's son hadn't had the PCR but he has - I would expect a venue to accept proof of the PCR as a legitimate reason for non-attendance for sure. I do think it's unfair they haven't when they know he is not permitted to attend whilst awaiting results.

Viviennemary · 16/12/2021 17:33

It wouldn't be any good to have a test on the day and claim on the insurance. And then the test was negative.

Purpleheadgirl · 16/12/2021 17:34

When we went to matilda there was a free canatiom or swap within 24hrs. Maybe try via your bank of credit card company

DaisyNGO · 16/12/2021 17:36

@LittleMysSister

I think it's a bit tight of them not to offer you an exchange as obviously they know your son is not able to attend whilst experiencing COVID symptoms and awaiting a PCR result. You've just been really unlucky to have needed to get the PCR on the actual day of the event, but it really could happen to anybody. Some good will from them wouldn't have gone amiss.

But have they refused an exchange?

Somebodylikeyew · 16/12/2021 17:39

This is just so shit for everyone- the public, the theatres, the casts… really really shit. You’re being penalised for trying to do the right thing, they’re fighting to stay afloat

Would they let you transfer to a later date?

Clymene · 16/12/2021 17:41

Why would anyone bother booking anything at the moment? None of us know if we're going to get Covid symptoms and not be able to attend.

Ericabro · 16/12/2021 17:45

Why not do a charge back through the bank?

ChiefStockingStuffer · 16/12/2021 17:45

I think that's pretty poor and a quick way to see your bookings plummet when word gets out.

Hit their twitter and social media feeds. I can't believe they've taken money for the 'insurance' side but then refused to honor it under sensible circumstances. During a pandemic.

Somebodylikeyew · 16/12/2021 17:46

@Clymene

Why would anyone bother booking anything at the moment? None of us know if we're going to get Covid symptoms and not be able to attend.

Cos in many cases these are tickets that were booked months or even years in advance? And possibly already rescheduled?

WheelieBinPrincess · 16/12/2021 17:53

@Clymene

Why would anyone bother booking anything at the moment? None of us know if we're going to get Covid symptoms and not be able to attend.

God yeah you’re totally right, we should just be in our houses with the doors bolted, so stupid to have booked things to look forward to or when it looked like things would be a lot freer and less worrying.

Plus I have tickets to the theatre that I purchased in 2019, I’m supposed to finally see it tomorrow.

Tiredalwaystired · 16/12/2021 17:53

@PerseverancePays

As an aside, we took our grandson , albeit seven years ago, and every line was so over enunciated it was very hard to understand a word. And the singing was shrieking all the way through. We didn’t enjoy it t all. The child actor that played Matilda did a fantastic job delivering her lines, and you couldn’t fault them for enthusiasm, but it would have been nice to know what they were on about. We left half way through.

So you’re telling her not to go based on a single performance of a version of the show you saw seven years ago with an entirely different cast that is now adult..?