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emabee
Beginner August 2014

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! VENUE NIGHTMARE! UPDATED - new venue booked!

emabee, 14 July, 2014 at 16:38

Posted on Planning 93

So, with 6 weeks today until our wedding, our venue have just emailed me to say that there is scaffolding going up all over the building which will remain there for our wedding day. The venue has beautiful floor to ceiling windows on the River Thames which was the main reason we booked it and they...

So, with 6 weeks today until our wedding, our venue have just emailed me to say that there is scaffolding going up all over the building which will remain there for our wedding day. The venue has beautiful floor to ceiling windows on the River Thames which was the main reason we booked it and they will be covered in scaffolding.....or a white sheet whatever we prefer!!!!!!! They tell me its out of their hands and is down to the landlord and cannot be delayed. They have 15 weddings booked and I'm only the 3rd person she's told, she said the other two reacted the same as me.....shock, crying down the phone, shouting etc etc...... The Manager apparently has a day off and they can't get hold of him.

WHAT DO IT DO?!?!? They've ruined my wedding................. :0(

They have another venue available to us but its miles away and all of our guests have booked a local hotel so that's not an option.

There's a beautiful venue which is more expensive next door to them which we originally wanted but couldn't afford. It's available but costs £5000 more than ours. I've told our venue that if the scaffolding isn't taken down then we want £5000 to compnesate and we'll go to the other venue.

Help! Where do I stand with this? We have wedding insurance xx

93 replies

  • H
    Beginner August 2014
    H3LEN ·
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    Wow just wow. The new venue is stunning. Far better than the old one.

    Good luck with the planning.

    xx

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  • *J9*
    VIP March 2014
    *J9* ·
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    Wow, the new venue is gorgeous! I really hope you get compensation from the other venue, that will at least contribute towards the extra cost.

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  • M
    Beginner August 2014
    MOMB ·
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    New venue is just stunning! Well done: if you can get the old venue to stump up some compensation to cover some of the difference then even better!

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  • Mrs.K2b
    Beginner August 2015
    Mrs.K2b ·
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    Definately a silver lining in this one - new venue is head and shoulders above the old one! As others have said certain things happen for a reason, and I'm looking forwards to seeing how your 'new' wedding day pans out and seeing the photos afterwards!!

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  • Arpee
    Beginner August 2016
    Arpee ·
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    Wow, that looks stunning!!! I am so sorry for all the hassle and heartache you've had to go through, but I think it really could be for the best in this case!

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  • BAMS
    Beginner November 2014
    BAMS ·
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    So glad you have a new venue - it's amazing, you're going to have some gorgeous pics.

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  • cosmictrout
    Beginner August 2014
    cosmictrout ·
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    Your new venue is simply gorgeous! You will have a fantastic day. Sorry you had to go through that though - absolutely not what you needed so close to the date.

    xxx

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  • cymruangel
    Beginner December 2014
    cymruangel ·
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    So pleased you found a beautiful new venue. I'm sure you will have a magical day.

    As people have said before, do keep a note of all the costs and cancellations, and get some professional advice about compensation.

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  • LittleSnowflake
    Beginner January 2016
    LittleSnowflake ·
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    I knew there was something wrong with that spynn post earlier :/

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  • M
    Beginner December 2014
    MRS RB ·
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    So pleased you have found a new venue; it's beautiful!! I think the way you have been treated is disgusting- take them for everything you can!!

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  • Decorated_Doll
    Beginner July 2016
    Decorated_Doll ·
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    View quoted message

    I might be interested in the candles! We have pink in our colour scheme, I love a good candle, etc etc.

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  • emabee
    Beginner August 2014
    emabee ·
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    Thanks for your kind words everyone. Went for another look around the new venue yesterday and it really is beautiful.

    The old venue have told all the other couples that they can't get out of their contract and won't be getting their deposits back. They'll be liable for half of the food bill too! The Manager is still AWOL!

    I was interviewed by the Evening Standard yesterday, I'll post the link here when it goes up. Fingers crossed something comes of it! x

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  • cinnamon009
    Beginner December 2014
    cinnamon009 ·
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    So glad you found somewhere. I wonder if this has anything to do with their appalling attitude to customers:

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/o2-restaurant-boss-held-over-tax-fraud-9022035.html

    The main company owning your original venue was liquidated at the beginning of the year and a new company has taken over by the looks of it but it isn't clear if Frank Dowling is still involved in the new company. He doesn't sound like the kind of guy who would give compensation out of the goodness of his heart.

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  • RusticBride15
    Beginner June 2015
    RusticBride15 ·
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    Oh wow!! Super happy you got your new venue Smiley smile its stunning, where your having your drinks reception looks beautiful.. I cant believe a venue would treat people like this, disgusting behaviour!! Well i wish you all the best with your new venue and i hope everything else goes smoothly for you..

    ❤️

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  • Andy_Magicman
    Andy_Magicman ·
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    The story is up on the Evening Standard site........Unsurprisingly, the venue has declined to comment!

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  • mustard_mitt
    Beginner September 2015
    mustard_mitt ·
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    I just noticed this thread - absolutely disgusting behaviour by the venue. I can't believe they'd treat paying customers like that!

    So happy you've sorted an alternative but it shouldn't have been at your own expense IMO.

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  • M
    Beginner August 2014
    MOMB ·
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    At least other couples will see the article and be warned. If the owner is in receivership and has been arrested though it does rather look as if some essential works have been missed and the landlord has stepped in: better than it collapsing when full of people.

    I do feel though EmaBee that we could have had one of those sad-face Daily Mail type pictures of both couples in front of the venue holding pictures of how things should have been. ((slightly disappointed))

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  • M
    Beginner April 2015
    Mrs-S-to-be ·
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    Wow - you describing it earlier doesn't do justice to how ridiculous it looks in that article! I can see why you were so upset!

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  • cinnamon009
    Beginner December 2014
    cinnamon009 ·
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    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/wedding-venue-from-hell-distraught-couples-say-ugly-scaffolding-ruined-their-big-day-9617927.html

    link to the ES article. I can see how you were so upset. It looks so awful with all the scaffolding. It is also really odd that they are refusing to discuss what emergency works needed to be undertaken. Surely the couples still booked there deserve a better explanation than that and more detail as to what the problems are?

    A PR and customer service absolute shambles. They can't bury their heads in the sand and expect customers to just go away and put up with it. I hope they are sued by everyone affected.

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  • emabee
    Beginner August 2014
    emabee ·
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    It gets worse........ This is the local paper with my picture in! Hideous! I just hope we get something out of it.

    I can't believe the Manager actually told the Newspaper that they are the victims!! They are blaming it on the Landlord and the Landlord is blaming it on them!

    Unbelievable.

    /news/11355006.greenwich-pub-scaffolding-destroyed-our-weddings/

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  • MrsDJG
    Beginner May 2015
    MrsDJG ·
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    The new venue looks just beautiful!

    Did you not agree for your photo to be published in the article, it looks as though the pictures were posed?

    Anyway, so glad for you that you now have a better, gorgeous venue! X

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