Couple hit out at Lothian wedding venue for refusal of £2K booking fee

An Edinburgh couple forced to cancel their June wedding due to lockdown have accused their East Lothian reception venue of being ‘heartless’ after the company refused to repay a £2,314 booking fee.

Grant Cluess and Susan Wright.

The couple had arranged to marry on Saturday, June 27 at the popular Eskmills Venue in Musselburgh, but due to the health pandemic the wedding had to be rearranged for August.

Grant Cluess, 53, said that he and his fiancee Susan Wright, 42, were happy to reschedule as they understood it was “just the way it was”.

But they were informed that the wedding would be unable to take place until October which was “too far away” for them.

Grant said: “We just want to be married now. We wanted to do it properly as it’s a special day. but we don’t really mind how anymore. I’d be happy to do it down the beach or even in our garden, but we don’t want to wait till October.”

The couple asked to cancel their wedding and say the venue said it would be “no problem”, before adding that it was company policy to retain 35 per cent of the initial £6,814 cost as a cancellation fee.

Grant said: “I was shocked. I understand needing to keep a few hundred for administration fees or to cover any other costs but 35 per cent is shocking.

“After that it got complicated They had been really helpful up until then but as soon as I said I thought that wasn’t a reasonable amount of money to keep they said ‘we are perfectly within our rights’ and ‘it’s a matter for our lawyers now’.”

The couple have been trying to get their money back but have been repeatedly told by Eskmills Venue that they are acting within their regular policy procedure and they do not have to return the money.

The Edinburgh cabbie said: “They have just been so heartless about this. It seems wrong that they would keep so much money when we have been forced to cancel the wedding because of the pandemic.

“It’s not like we want to cancel the wedding. It’s just that the company can’t offer us what we initially paid for anymore.”

A spokesperson from Eskmills Venue said: “We understand that this is a very emotional and stressful time for everyone due to get married in 2020 and sympathise with all the families involved, including Susan and Grant.

“The approach taken by Eskmills Venue in the event of the cancellation of a wedding due to factors outwith either party’s control, such as here, is in accordance with guidance from the Association of British Wedding Businesses (ABWB).

“Our first step is always to explore all options and to try and find a replacement date which is acceptable to the clients. If that is not possible, we will look to refund a portion of sums which the customer may have paid up to the time of cancellation.

“Unfortunately, a full refund is not normally possible, as the customer will have benefitted from various preliminary and preparatory activities in respect of which Eskmills Venue will have incurred costs.”