Coronavirus - Rescheduling & Cancellations

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As I’m sure everyone will appreciate, the Coronavirus restrictions on events, gatherings and household mixing continue to evolve, making the shifting sands of temporary local, regional and national rule changes an acute challenge for our team of Freaks to navigate. We are proud to say the team have consistently tried their very best to support both acts and clients alike throughout these difficult times and strive to reach the best outcome for all concerned.

To help clarify the options open to those affected by current restrictions we have brought together some useful FAQs which we hope will address many of your questions, however, please reach out to our team if you don’t find the answer you’re looking for.

What is the current lockdown cancellation period?

There are currently differing dates and limitations being voiced by respective governments within the devolved nations which makes the situation somewhat complex.

In England, weddings and socially distanced outdoor parties of up to 15 people will be permitted no earlier than the 12th April, moving to 30 people from a provisional date of the 17th May. Their plan is to lift restrictions entirely from the 21st June, although that is an "at the earliest" date and may change.

The Scottish Parliament has announced a return to (Scottish) level 3 restrictions from the 26th April, which would allow up to 20 people to attend a wedding and socially distanced reception, however, the Scottish roadmap out of Covid restrictions does not set a date for lifting restrictions further than this at the moment.

Wales recently revealed a new staged roadmap out of restrictions in which limited wedding receptions are mentioned, however, they are yet to place any target dates on these stages.

No dates have been set for the return to receptions and outdoor events in Northern Ireland.

So to summarise, In response to the different government target dates we have extended our lockdown cancellation period up to the 12th April 2021 for events in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and up to the 26th April for events in Scotland. We will update these dates again once further clarification is published by the respective governments.

Please note that in setting a lockdown cancellation period we are attempting to set a reasonable time frame within which we can safely assume current restrictions will prevent most events from going ahead, however, as we’ve seen throughout 2020, things can change rapidly and at a local level. For these reasons we are not able to extend the lockdown cancellation period beyond these dates as yet, as at some point events will be given the green light and will eventually be able to go ahead.

What does that mean if my event falls within this period?

In the first instance, we will attempt to reschedule your booking wherever possible. To assist with this process we would ask that clients please speak to venues to explore what alternative dates could be secured.

In the vast majority of cases we’re happy to say we have been able to negotiate an alternative date. However, where the rescheduling of an event within the current lockdown cancellation period is not possible for whatever reason, clients will receive a refund on any balance payments made. In addition to this, to help support clients and acts alike, we will be offering the non-refundable deposit already paid by clients as a credit towards a future Freak Music booking.

We hope these efforts will go some way to add a glimmer of positivity to these difficult times and we greatly appreciate the understanding and patience shown by acts and clients while our Freak Team work their way through all affected bookings.

Can I reschedule an event that falls beyond the current lockdown cancellation period?

Should you wish to postpone an event, outwith the current lockdown cancellation period, the act may be able to accommodate this request, however, whilst we would of course attempt to negotiate this for you, the decision would be at the act's discretion. If the act were not able to agree to the change, cancellation terms would apply if the original contract can not be upheld. Please note, changes to issued contracts incur an admin fee of £30+vat.

Can I cancel an event that falls beyond the current lockdown cancellation period?

At some point events will be given the green light and will eventually be able to go ahead. For this reason we have instigated a rolling lockdown cancellation period (see above) within which bookings may be cancelled under Force Majeure terms, however, any cancellations beyond this period will be subject to the standard contract cancellation terms and may incur cancellation fees depending on the time between cancellation and the event date.

What if I have a different question?

If you have any additional questions or would like to discuss your options please get in touch with us via [email protected].

Thanks for your patience...

As I'm sure everyone will appreciate, we are experiencing a high volume of communication at the moment and are trying are very best to get back to everyone as swiftly as we can.

Our heartfelt sympathies continue to go out to everyone affected by Coronavirus and the havoc this has played on lives. Let us all hope we can get back to the dance floor sometime in the not too distant future.

Best wishes,

The Freak Team.