Police tribute band turn law enforcers
A TRIBUTE band has delivered a tongue-in-cheek ultimatum to London’s swanky Ritz Hotel – after being forced to cancel a gig at the Ritz ballroom in Brighouse.
Owner Glenn Smith closed the doors of the Bradford Road venue on Saturday after the Ritz in London threatened legal action if it does not cease trading under its current name by today.
Now Sting and Police tribute act The Rozzers, who were due to perform at the Brighouse Ritz in March have sent a letter to the London hotel invoicing the hotel for loss of earnings.
The letter, which appears on the band’s Facebook page, also says it intends to start legal proceedings against “Her Majesty’s Police Service” because “the general public keep confusing police (law enforcers) with The Police (the 80s punk/reggae band” which was “having a detrimental effect on our band. They even have ‘the police’ written all over their vehicles, so in many ways we feel your pain.”
The letter, written by band member Owen James and addressed to the general manager at the hotel in Piccadilly, says: “I understand that you are a small fledgling operation so you need to protect your good name. Similarly, I need to protect my income and the income of the people in my band, so I would appreciate prompt payment please; none of your ‘28 days’ nonsense, thank you.”
The letter also suggests the hotel put the band up when The Rozzers play in London later this year, adding: “Failure to comply will result in us having to slum it at The Savoy instead (the historic and renowned hotel, not the cabbage).”
Meanwhile, Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, who used to live in Brighouse and whose children attended Brighouse High School, tweeted his support for the venue and called for a fund to be started to fight the case and said he will donate the first £100 to get the fund rolling.
He said: “It’s a classic case of David and Goliath – and it is a nonsense. I think we should stand up to bullies like the Ritz Hotel.
“This is a good opportunity to get the community together and take the Ritz establishment on.”
Mr Sheerman, who is looking for a lawyer to take up the case for free, said he had been told informally that if the hotel took its case to court “it wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.”