That perennial question - are you entitled to a refund - has arisen since an announcement that the " Rewind 80's Festival " has been moved from Kembla Grange in Wollongong to the Hordern Pavilion in inner Sydney.
The organiser has stated that refunds will not be offered, and yet this is not the same form of entertainment that was promoted when tickets went on sale. For a start, the festival has contracted from a three day event - to just two days. Many bands have pulled out and been replaced by others - and following a particular band is usually the only reason people buy tickets to these sorts of events. Some people will claim that the fare offered is inferior to the original offering.
There is also a huge change of style from an outdoor event which brings back memories of " Woodstock " to a theatre like presentation inside a hall. The " atmosphere " is different and it is almost like an audience attending what was billed as a stage play suddenly finding that it had morphed into a movie.
Then there is distance - and costs. The Hordern Pavilion is eighty kilometres away from Kembla Grange, so those who bought tickets for a local event are now stuck with rail fares and taxis from Central to the venue - or car costs and parking fees - which are doubled for a two day event.
The reason for this venue change is unconvincing. It is suggested that it is being brought under cover because heavy rain is expected on the 28 and 29'th, but if so then we are experiencing a new miracle of weather forecasting. There are also rumours that ticket sales have been slow - and that the organizers are in panic and hope that a move to a venue in a bigger city may restore their fortunes.
The question of refunds should not rest with the organizers. There is sufficient areas of change to put this in the hands of Fair Trading for a decision - and this needs to happen fast !
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