Big Christmas Drive By: ‘upsetting failure’
A Horsham business is urging ticket holders to contact their bank to seek refunds after a Christmas event ‘failed’.
Strobe Productions Ltd, set up by Alex and Sarah Jackson, was planning to run the Big Christmas Drive By in December.
But they said the ‘scale of negative comments’ after the opening day had ‘undermined’ the event and forced them to cancel.
In a statement posted on the company’s website, they said they had since decided to liquidate the company.
They added: “The decision to liquidate has been taken based solely on the professional advice we have received, and is not part of a preconceived plan to defraud.”
Strobe Events was set up in 2017 and was incorporated into Strobe Events Ltd in September, Alex and Sarah said. A separate company, Strobe Productions, was set up ahead of the Christmas event.
The firm will be providing details of every booking to the insolvency practitioner so that everyone has an equal opportunity to receive a refund, they added.
Alex and Sarah said: “It is apparent that there will not be sufficient funds for a full refund to be provided to everyone. This is why a refund process was not initiated by us, since it would have been unfair to refund some in full and then not be able to refund others.”
They said that on the advice of the insolvency practitioners, they were asking people to seek a refund from their bank or credit card company, as ‘an honest attempt to assist ticket holders recover their money promptly and in full’.
Alex and Sarah added that they planned the event carefully and ‘held the honest belief that we had the ability and the resources to provide a wonderful event’.
They said: “We wish to advise that we have not drawn any wages personally, or made payments to our other company at inflated prices. There has been no unlawful or immoral gains made by us from this event.
“Once the appointment of the insolvency practitioners is complete, we will not be able to respond to any communication relating to the Big Christmas Drive By or Strobe Productions Ltd.
“We remain, as we have always been, committed to Strobe Events and will respond to all communication received relating to this business.
“However, we ask that you are patient since we have been inundated with emails and phone calls and it will take considerable time to work through these.
“We have not set up a scam, or attempted to defraud anyone. Sadly, The Big Christmas Drive By has been a failure, and a very upsetting failure for everyone, including us. And for this we will always be sorry.”