To think a partial refund should be offered under these circumstances?

[agiftfromwinklesea]

I booked tickets for an event. They weren’t cheap and being totally honest here I did so because it’s literally taking place next to my house and a bouncy castle was involved. I knew DS(3) would be desperate to go on so booked it.

Of course the weather is now … interesting and the bouncy castle is cancelled. A chirpy email says not to worry, there are lots of other things to do but honestly none of them will interest DS much.

AIBU to think partially refunding would be fair in this situation?

There's a yellow warning at least once a week. They don't really mean anything unless you live somewhere that floods or you work outdoors.

A bouncy castle is £4 a go at any fete. It's seems odd you've spent so much money on something you're not interested in just for your kid to have a bounce. Take him to a trampoline park? They have toddler hours.

I would expect a refund if it was me. You paid for something and they are not providing it after all so in y opinion I think you should be refunded and if it was me I’d be researching how the law works in this case

I do sometimes @FlingThatCarrot . The main draw was the bouncy castle bur I’m sure people can appreciate the whole sort of ambience of something changes in this sort of weather. Standing on a field in hazy autumn sunshine listening to music with a drink as ds bounces around, lovely. Standing piss wet through while there’s not much for ds to do = not so much.

And the event is outdoors.

So the main event is music?

And a bouncy castle is just a small extra?

The bouncy castle is likely a few hundred pound. So per ticket the refund would be minimal.

But the bouncy castle isn’t the main attraction. It’s not what people are paying for. And bouncy castles are always weather dependent. I would also think very few people paid out £££ because of the bouncy castle itself. That’s not why people are going.

Have you actually asked to return the tickets for a refund?

Why do you need a pushchair if it is right next to your house though?

@SwiftiesVSLestat no. There isn’t a main event exactly. I realise some people think I’m being annoyingly vague but to be fair I didn’t start the thread about the event. To be honest I think they are a bit mad going ahead with it but they are. It does mean though it won’t be suitable for a preschooler and a baby any more, partly because there’s no bouncy castle but also just too wet and muddy which is no one’s fault and I do accept that.

Because my younger child is bloody heavy!

Bouncy castles are weather dependent. The bouncy castle company's insurance stipulates weather limits over which they won't be covered should an accident occur. Why wouldn't you want this to be observed?

My AIBU isn’t ’that they should have the bouncy castle there’, is it

Is this some kind of charity fundraiser that the organisers have put a lot of effort into? If so I'd just let it go and think that at least someone who needs it will benefit. If the weather is kind enough just go and make the most and try and enjoy what there is.

This is a really good point. I hired a bouncy castle for an event recently. It was £60 for 6 hours. The cancellation policy was up to 24 hours before the booking, and you only lost your 10% deposit. So in our case, even cancelling the bouncy castle in time would have only made the event £54 cheaper to run. Refunding this cost to the customer would have been literally pennies, and more hassle than it was worth.

If it's a small business or organised by a couple of people or for a good cause then no I wouldn't ask for my money back, it's tough out there right now.

Yes, if they were included in the price

No, not for charity - I definitely wouldn’t ask for money if it was, I’m not that much of a skinflint!

Anynoutdoor bouncy castle in September is obviously weather dependent. You know what British September is like.

Please tell me this is at least a national even or something and you arent talking about getting a refund for a £3 community fundraiser.

I really think no one else would have been spending £££ just because of the bouncy castle. It’s an extra. It’s not main draw. Because most people wouldn’t pay it.

Not having it will save the event, when spread across the amount of people that have tickets, will be next to nothing. They will still need to pay for everything else that’s happening. You could be talking pence per person.

and anyone buying a ticket for an outdoor event in September would think about ‘what if the weather is bad?’ Before spending £££. It’s a risk that it won’t be a chilled day in late autumn sunshine. A big risk. So most people would have weighed that up and decided they would still attend. Or they were happy to spend the money and not attend.

I get is disappointing for you. But expecting a partial refund is unreasonable, imo.

The event surely has to be a fundraiser.

No public events company would get out of bed to organise an event with only 4 things.

It's just not worth the time, effort and expense.

I’ve already said it isn’t for charity or a fundraiser. It really doesn’t matter what it is!

I was thinking it might be a concert with food, a bouncy castle and something like face painting.
OP has no interest in the main event and only one of the child friendly add ons?
Outdoor concerts are both expensive and unreliable.

How much were the tickets. I note you haven't said.

£20 each

Pretty much. It’s fine, I just wondered vaguely if it might be reasonable to ask for the tickets to be partially refunded. I’m not sure I’d have the nerve to ask, though!

Near me they have that kind of event where there are a number of large size things like bouncy castle, trampolines, climbing structures etc and they aren't cheap but are good value as it goes on all day, might be something like that although quite late in the year

I feel very sorry for anyone who has organised an outdoor event today, there are several local ones here and I totally understand why you'd want a refund but the organisers are probably going to lose money so if I could afford it I'd probably suck it up