Hove MP backs legalisation to protect music fans against Government opposition

Mike Weatherley, Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Secondary Ticketing.

MIKE IS supporting the Lords amendments tabled in the Consumer Rights Bill that would provide greater transparency for those purchasing tickets through resellers and help protect the live music industry.

Live music and events are a vital contributors to the economy and the cultural well-being of society.

Mike, former Intellectual Property Adviser to the Prime Minister, will be supporting the fans, performers and promoters that believe that the current ticketing arrangements for major events is not delivering value for money for those involved and that the  free market falls down when it comes to secondary ticketing, given the restriction of supply.

The Lords amendments to the Consumer Rights Bill, which Mike supports (and the government has indicated it will not support) will be considered in the House of Commons on Monday January 12, would require resellers to state the name of the seller, employment details (if related to the entertainment industry), any reference numbers, as well as a seat number, if applicable.

Mike said: “The secondary ticketing market is a cash cow for a select few and, by and large, bad for music fans. The procurement of tickets by resellers takes place on an industrial scale as soon as an event opens its box office, denying fans the opportunity to buy tickets at their face value.”

“Those arguing against greater transparency are trying to shield from fans the source of the tickets or circumvent individual venues restrictions on reselling tickets. There is a large amount of criminal activity around fake tickets, which is fuelled by extortionate prices, that can leave fans massively disappointed and out of pocket. This has to stop.”

An open letter from industry representatives:

“As representatives from the live event industry, responsible for putting on shows ranging from international sporting fixtures and world class theatre to intimate gigs, we are committed to ensuring that event-goers have the best experience possible at a fair price. The way that the secondary ticketing market is allowed to operate at present can seriously undermine that effort.

“It’s almost 3 years since Channel 4’s Dispatches: The Great Ticket Scandal exposed how secondary platforms court major ticket touts and take allocations directly from promoters to sell on above face value to unsuspecting consumers.

“And it’s almost 2 years since Operation Podium, the Police unit set up to tackle Olympics-related crime, produced a report calling for legislation to tackle “unscrupulous practices, a lack of transparency and fraud” within the secondary market.

“Tomorrow, the House of Commons has the chance to pass that legislation. Clause 33 of the Consumer Rights Bill would give consumers looking for tickets basic information which the secondary platforms have been so keen to hide: who they’re buying from, the face value of the ticket, the seat number and, importantly, whether that ticket is being sold in contravention of its terms and conditions.

“Sadly, the Government tried to block this Clause in the Lords, and want to strip it out of the Bill in the Commons tomorrow.

“If the secondary platforms have nothing to fear from transparency, they have nothing to fear from these simple provisions.

“It’s high time the Government stopped sticking up for them, and decided to put fans first.

Signed by:

Adam Brown, Brownstock

Ali McLean, DHP Concerts / No Tomorrow Festival

Andy Bell, Festibelly

Andy Smith, Kendal Calling

Angus Baskerville and Charlie Myatt, 13 Artists Agency

Anthony Addis, Brontone Management

Barry Drinkwater, Global Merchandising Solutions

Bullet For My Valentine

Cancer Bats

Caroline Maclennan, Hebridean Celtic Festival

Chris Tofu, London Remixed Festival

Craig Jennings and Don Jenkins, Raw Power Management

Dave Newton, WeGotTickets

Emma Banks and Mike Greek, Creative Artists Agency

Freddie Fellowes, The Secret Garden Party

Gallows

Geoff Meall, The Agency Group

Harvey Goldsmith CBE

Hugh Phillimore, Cornbury Festival

Ian McAndrew, Wildlife Entertainment

James Scarlett, ArcTanGent

Jane Beese, Meltdown

Jeff Craft, X-Ray Touring

Jim Winship, The Event Services Association

Jo Dipple, UK Music

Joe Buirski, Fire in the Mountain

Joe Gibbs, Belladrum Tartan Heart

John Empson, Eden Sessions

John F. Smith, Musicians Union

John Jackson, K2 Agency

John Rostron, SWN Festival

Jon Webster, Music Managers Forum

Joshua Sanger, Barn On The Farm

Julia Calver, UK Centre for Events Management

Julian Bird, Chief Executive, Society of London Theatre

Kate Hewett, Tramlines

Katherine Goodenough, Greenbelt Festival

Lee Denny, Leefest

Martin Laws, Pangaea

Mooseblood

Nicholas Crow, Fling Festival

Nick Chambers, Beat-Herder Festival

Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Ed O’Brien (Radiohead), and Sandie Shaw, Co-Chairs, Featured Artists Coalition

Nick Tanner, Glastonbudget

Nick Thomas, Chairman of HQ Theatres & Hospitality Ltd

Oliver Jones, Deer Shed Festival

Oscar Thornton, Farr Festival

Pablo Janczur, Brecon Jazz

Paul Bliss, Blissfields

Paul Flower, Profound Media & Management

Paul Reed, Association of Independent Festivals

Peter Davies, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru

Peter Elliott, Primary Talent International Agency

Peter Nosworthy, Nozstock Festival

Rachel Tackley, President, UK Theatre Association

Ralph Broadbent, Truck

Ralph Broadbent, Y-Not Festival

Reece Miller, We Are FSTVL

Richard Griffiths, Modest Management

Rob Challice, Larmer Tree Festival

Rob Da Bank, Bestival/Camp Bestival

Rod Smallwood, Phantom Music Management

Roger Tomlinson and Andrew Thomas, The Ticketing Institute

Roger Woodhall, Bournemouth 7s

Sam Eldridge, Urok Management

Sean McLoughlin, Village Green

Sidharth Sharma, Shambala

Simon Maltas, 2000 Trees

Simon Watson, Sidewinder Management

Sofia Hagberg, End of the Road Festival

Stuart Galbraith, Kilimanjaro Live

Turbowolf

While She Sleeps

Will Brown, In the Woods Festival