Bull Hotel, Woodbridge, Suffolk

[glenn knights 0]

Hi.

 

Following a request from Mr. Duksey, here are the details of, and the venue, that cancelled all my bookings for December....

 

 

I was booked by The Bull Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk back in September to provide after dinner discos for their Christmas parties (four in total). I had to put a bit of work into the arrangements as I wasn't able to do one of the bookings so I had to approach a Fellow DJ to cover the booking on my behalf. As far as I was concerned all was well......untill the Wednesday before the first gig when I phoned to arange access to set up, I couldn't speak to the manager but was promised he would call me back. No call was recieved. I then phoned the next day and spoke to the manager who very sheepishly told me he had cancelled the disco but he had phoned me "three or four" weeks ago to tell me. I never recieved such a call and yes the manager does all of my contact details on my business card.

 

I was promised a call "in a couple of days" to sort out the remaining discos which, never occured, so it was down to me to chase again. I phoned, left messages, got no replies. Went in to see him and left messages, got no replies. Eventually at ten o'clock the Thursday before the second gig (the one some one was covering for me) I phoned them again to be told that all discos had now been cancelled. Luckily the other DJ took the news well and wasn't too concerned about loosing the booking.

 

Now, I fully understand that situations change and gigs have to cancelled and I won't hold that agianst anyone, but the thing that really got my goat was the lack of communication with me and failure to return messages. I have a mobile phone which is on all day, I have a land line with an answer phone and the manager has both these numbers, so getting a message to me should have been too hard.

Had I have been approached to do other discos on these dates I ould have turned them down and potentially lost out even more.

 

I haven't wrote this to offend anyone and if the venue manager decided to use another disco then that's fine, but I try to operate in a proffesional manner so it would be nice to get that back.

 

Rant over.

 

Glenn

[spinner 0]

Did you issue a contract for these bookings?

[Dukesy 0]

When venues don't wish to financially retain your service at this busy and demanding time of year, let alone any other, don't be surprised when you're out of pocket when cancelled!

Also, you've just learned that there is no sentiment in business, even in the season of goodwill.

Let's just imagine, do you think the Manager at the Bull Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk would treat clients like this? Imagine the consequences! You may need to adjust the way you conduct your booking arrangements so this does not happen again.

I can see where Spinner is heading with this and sure, if you have a contract which has been brushed aside then you may have some recourse from the Bull Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

Not all venues like contracts, but they do offer contractual obligations which 'protect' both sides in the contract.

My best advice is to treat your booking arrangements with venues the same as you would a client. So, like when a client cancels a function and forfeits their retainer because it says so in your T&Cs, so should a venue.

Although it may be impractical to make arrangements to meet the client in person, discuss finer details, access times, etc, it does pay as opposed to conducting business by phone. With regard to supplying a DJ for one of the nights, I do hope the manager was fully apprised of this arrangement!

Thanks for the heads up.

[glenn knights 0]

Did you issue a contract for these bookings?

 

 

I have only recently introduced contracts and t&c's. Unfortunately these bookings were made prior to me doing this, although at the time the manager stated he wasn't interested in contracts (say no more).

 

Lesson learnt.

 

When venues don't wish to financially retain your service at this busy and demanding time of year, let alone any other, don't be surprised when you're out of pocket when cancelled!

Also, you've just learned that there is no sentiment in business, even in the season of goodwill.

Let's just imagine, do you think the Manager at the Bull Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk would treat clients like this? Imagine the consequences! You may need to adjust the way you conduct your booking arrangements so this does not happen again.

I can see where Spinner is heading with this and sure, if you have a contract which has been brushed aside then you may have some recourse from the Bull Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

Not all venues like contracts, but they do offer contractual obligations which 'protect' both sides in the contract.

My best advice is to treat your booking arrangements with venues the same as you would a client. So, like when a client cancels a function and forfeits their retainer because it says so in your T&Cs, so should a venue.

Although it may be impractical to make arrangements to meet the client in person, discuss finer details, access times, etc, it does pay as opposed to conducting business by phone. With regard to supplying a DJ for one of the nights, I do hope the manager was fully apprised of this arrangement!

Thanks for the heads up.

 

You are right, sentiment does not exist in business. I would not dream of treating any of my clients in such a manner and have indeed altered my arangements suitably.

It was made clear to me at the booking stage that the manager was not interested in contracts and in hind-sight I understand why.

Me supplying another DJ was discussed at the time of booking so, yes the manager ws fully aware.

 

thanks for the comments.

 

[Revelationroadshow 0]

I have only recently introduced contracts and t&c's. Unfortunately these bookings were made prior to me doing this, although at the time the manager stated he wasn't interested in contracts (say no more).

 

Lesson learnt.

 

 

Unfortunately this is the bottom line here. Regardless of anything else said or any other feelings, there is absolutely nothing you can do without a contract. Let this be a lesson to you - a date is NEVER confirmed until you have the signed bit of paper in your hand!

 

However, I did want to offer some sort of encouragement. I see you're very local to us - we're based in Saxmundham, although never played at the Bull. I had a similar experiance earlier this year. A local organisation (not fair to mention names here) we did 3 Christmas nights for last year - they hire a venue and put the nights on, they are not a venue. Went well and in early Jan, the organiser called to book 6 nights for this December. They also decided to book our Painting With Light service (uplighting), I think the quote was in the region of £2500 or thereabouts. Deposit paid, but contracts not returned. Didn't worry too much, this is a guy I have done a bit of work for before and has always been honerable.

 

Just a liitle over three months before the bookings (I have a three month cancellation policy), the organiser called to cancel the disco - they had decided to go with someone else (I am guessing a lot cheaper). It was understood that the deposit was not refundable (which suggests the new disco was MUCH cheaper as they would have to have been able to save the deposit as well!). Eventually I agreed to continue providing the venue lighting and to allow the deposit to be set against that.

 

This particular event relies on a PA system for speach for a large proportion of the evening and the venue is notoriously difficult to provide a PA - a tin sports hall witha marquee lining. I struggled last year and refused to provide that part of things this year anyway.

 

I set up the lighting on Friday and left them to it. That evening lots of missed calls from the organiser, but my venue that night was in a bad signal area. He called on Saturday morning. Did I have any spare PA because the disco they had booked sounded absolutely apauling and they had had loads of complaints (this is a £30 a ticket party). The DJ was meant to be providing "stage lights" for them, but had simply refused when he arrived saying he hadn't got a long enough lead, even though I believe he had been asked to do this. The organiser was panicing and very unhappy. I popped over to the venue to check on our lighting install, met the organiser, who shrugged and I said, "I'm not saying a word". The disco was, well, completely inapropriate for the classy evening - wires hanging from the truss, rusty cases, blue coloured speakers etc...

 

So the moral - what goes around comes around!

[glenn knights 0]

Unfortunately this is the bottom line here. Regardless of anything else said or any other feelings, there is absolutely nothing you can do without a contract. Let this be a lesson to you - a date is NEVER confirmed until you have the signed bit of paper in your hand!

 

However, I did want to offer some sort of encouragement. I see you're very local to us - we're based in Saxmundham, although never played at the Bull. I had a similar experiance earlier this year. A local organisation (not fair to mention names here) we did 3 Christmas nights for last year - they hire a venue and put the nights on, they are not a venue. Went well and in early Jan, the organiser called to book 6 nights for this December. They also decided to book our Painting With Light service (uplighting), I think the quote was in the region of £2500 or thereabouts. Deposit paid, but contracts not returned. Didn't worry too much, this is a guy I have done a bit of work for before and has always been honerable.

 

Just a liitle over three months before the bookings (I have a three month cancellation policy), the organiser called to cancel the disco - they had decided to go with someone else (I am guessing a lot cheaper). It was understood that the deposit was not refundable (which suggests the new disco was MUCH cheaper as they would have to have been able to save the deposit as well!). Eventually I agreed to continue providing the venue lighting and to allow the deposit to be set against that.

 

This particular event relies on a PA system for speach for a large proportion of the evening and the venue is notoriously difficult to provide a PA - a tin sports hall witha marquee lining. I struggled last year and refused to provide that part of things this year anyway.

 

I set up the lighting on Friday and left them to it. That evening lots of missed calls from the organiser, but my venue that night was in a bad signal area. He called on Saturday morning. Did I have any spare PA because the disco they had booked sounded absolutely apauling and they had had loads of complaints (this is a £30 a ticket party). The DJ was meant to be providing "stage lights" for them, but had simply refused when he arrived saying he hadn't got a long enough lead, even though I believe he had been asked to do this. The organiser was panicing and very unhappy. I popped over to the venue to check on our lighting install, met the organiser, who shrugged and I said, "I'm not saying a word". The disco was, well, completely inapropriate for the classy evening - wires hanging from the truss, rusty cases, blue coloured speakers etc...

 

So the moral - what goes around comes around!

 

 

Hi.

 

Saxmundham eh..? You are local.

 

Yes as I said - lesson learnt. It is interesting though that since introducing contracts, tthe number of people who either ask for or expect them.

 

I have also PM'd you.

 

 

Glenn.