Park Proms: Podium Event Group behind cancelled Broadlands, Romsey event owes £870,000 to creditors

Podium Event Group Limited recently announced it is “taking steps to be placed into liquidation” only two months ahead of its highly-anticipated Park Proms event at Broadlands Estate.

READ MORE: Festival-goers 'left high and dry' after company goes bust

The festival was due to take place in August 2021 but was later rescheduled to August 2022 due to the pandemic.

But the event has since been cancelled and thousands of people are now out of pocket.

Nearly £900,000 owed

According to documents seen by the Daily Echo, the firm owes creditors, from businesses to Park Proms ticketholders, around £870,000.

A total of £340,633.50 is owed to ticketholders.

The documents submitted as part of the liquidation process reveal Podium Event Group owes a total of £527,194.29 to 44 business creditors.

Its biggest creditor is Southampton-based company Emphasis Event Production, which is owed £134,474.

The company declined to comment on the money owed to it.

Broadlands Estate

Broadlands Estate, who previously told the Echo it is “still waiting to hear from Podium Events as to whether they are intending to fulfil their contact and host events here in August” is also listed as a creditor.

The Romsey manor house is owed £26,900. No other scheduled events at the venue are affected.

Other listed creditors include Buchanan Marquees of Kings Somborne - owed £11,619 - and London’s Creative Artist Agency (CAA), which is owed £15,000.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra were set to perform at Park Proms this year but is now listed as creditors for £18,686.50.

South coast radio station Wave 105 is owed £500.

'We have been left high and dry'

Excitment surrounded the summer festival, with many customers disappointed when it was postponed last year.

However, disappointment made way for frustration and anger as scores of customers received ‘no refunds’ and a ‘lack of communication.’

READ NEXT: 'Not many cities allow historical monuments to not function'

Annette Sant, 74, was due to attend. She said: “My daughter booked it for us and I feel awful she has lost out.”

Unlikely retribution

The liquidation documents state it “appears unlikely” that there will be “a dividend available for unsecured creditors” due to the financial information on the company that is currently available.

Podium Event Group said ticketholders may only be able to obtain a refund by claiming it back from their credit or debit card issuer.

The Echo has repeatedly tried to contact Michael James Hlavaty - the director of Podium Event Group - but has been given no response.

A previous Park Proms statement said: "Despite the best efforts of everyone the financial setbacks caused by the pandemic has meant that it is no longer viable for us to continue trading."