Bars boss: I don’t know if bookers will get cash back
DEPOSITS FOR EVENTS AT VENUES MAY BE LOST
THE owner of two bars that closed without notice yesterday does not know if clients owed deposits will get their money back.
People who had booked parties and arranged business events at Queen Victoria Arts Club and the Exchange have been left picking up the pieces.
Managers said the Exchange was fully booked for Christmas while the Queen Victoria was lining up a busy festive period.
The venues, in Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, had also been due to host events during Leicester Business Festival, which kicks off on Monday.
Landlord East Bridgeford Investments – which had a half share in the Queen Victoria – decided to close it after saying it had put an extra £60,000 in to keep it running over the past three months.
He decided to close The Exchange, which is almost directly opposite and run by the same company, at the same time.
Cassie Davison, who owns both bars, said: “Two days ago we thought a deal was being done and so this situation is as big a shock to us as it is to our customers and suppliers.
“Given that, I don’t know yet how many people had already paid deposits, though I do know the Exchange was fully booked for Christmas.
“Both had events and bookings through 2020. We will know more once we have appointed an insolvency practitioner.”
Alex Harris, from Glenfield, said he had paid a £100 deposit for a birthday party for his girlfriend at the Exchange tomorrow.
He said: “I gave them my details about six weeks ago and paid the deposit. When I inquired yesterday to see if everything was okay I was sent an automatic update.
“Thankfully I’ve now managed to book the Manhattan Bar next door, which also waived a deposit.”
He said it was a second setback after booking a £1,900 holiday to Greece with Thomas Cook. They had been due to fly the weekend after the company went bust.
Melissa Hillman is owed £250 after arranging a surprise retirement party for her husband, Mark at the Exchange last Friday. She said: “I’ve not been able to contact anyone to find out about getting the deposit back.
“The party went really smoothly. It’s quite sad to see it shut, and it seems a massive loss for that area.”
Anne Brown, from Ratby, is a member of the Just Write group which was due to hold a gettogether for about 10 members at the Queen Victoria on Tuesday.
They arrived to find the doors locked. She said: “The food was always brilliant and they gave us somewhere to write in. They have always been really obliging.”
The Leicester delegation to the annual Mipim property conference in Cannes were due to launch their 2020 plans at the Queen Victoria next Thursday. They now hope to use offices at Friars Mill.
The two bars were set to host half a dozen events during the Leicester Business Festival, ranging from a networking breakfast to a cyber crime session.
Alister de Ternant, managing director of Associate Events, which runs Leicester Business Festival, said: “Obviously, we’re incredibly disappointed to learn about the sudden closures.
“This will be huge loss to Leicester’s cultural quarter. Our thoughts are with the owners and their staff.
“As far as Leicester Business Festival is concerned, there were six events across the two venues.
“The team at Associate Events is working with organisers to ensure all their events are rehoused and can still go ahead.”