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Velo Birmingham cancelled?

I googled this for obvious reasons as their website still shows it going ahead. I know it is three months away and Wimbledon, the TDF and Olympics are still holding out, but every other major event has been cancelled or postponed. So instead of harassing them I though I would see if there was any chatter about cancellation. Oh the irony: the top hits were all petitions demanding the event be cancelled because it 'traps people in their homes'! Looks like 2020 will be the year of no sport, no Glasto, not even Eurovision.

Luckily I can get the the Mersey 500 yards from my flat under the pretext of going to the co-op and cycle for miles off road along canal ways and trails. Still going into work, no cough and queue of people to serve. Keep on riding.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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17 comments

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tigersnapper | 4 years ago
2 likes

I was entered for their Velo South year before last which was cancelled at the last minute due to bad weather and I received a full refund.  I am inclined to accept their explaination for Birmingham this year for that reason.

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fixation80 | 4 years ago
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I was an early booker at an hotel in Warwick for an Easter event, the event has been cancelled and I received a full refund. York rally has been cancelled this year, again I have been refunded my booking. Having always considered sportives as over expensive events and on the make I am not surprised at this outcome. Some of my refund from York Rally will be contributed back to the organisers as I consider them to be a worthwhile charity.

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nickW1 | 4 years ago
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for comparison I entered the hell of the ashdown run by a club, it was cancelled due to one of the winter storms, but after sensible deductions the entry fees went to the charity that the event supported so  missing the event was a disappointment  but I couldnt be that upset at losing my entry 

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macrophotofly | 4 years ago
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This virus is showing the true colours of people. While some are doing their best to help others, Velo are the worst kind of Sc*m, profiteering from it. 
I've even heard their insurance (Yellow) is backing out of paying the cancellation cost too.

Let's all make sure we remember how they reacted to this and when we come out the other side of C-19, make sure we never ever book another event with them, and make sure all our club mates don't do so either.

If you live in a town where Velo run these events (Birmingham, Chelmsford, etc) it may also be worthwhile writing to the local council to explain that Velo should not be trusted to run events and they should get another firm in to do it.

I would have accepted my money being returned less a small admin fee or being moved free to next year (as Tour of Cambridge have done) but Velo are just making money from misery.

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Tim Walker | 4 years ago
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The e-mail from the event organisers explains that, despite their T&Cs allowing them not to, they would normally refund for cancellations due to force majeure but that they can't in this case because a public health emergency doesn't meet that definition in their insurance policy..

I'm not an insurance expert, but that sounds like utter nonsense to me. Especially as the Government is passing legislation this week to plug any loopholes in insurance policies regarding ill effects businesses face due to the their COVID-19 response. If what they claim is true then they would've failed to obtain adequate event insurance to begin with.

I suspect that the organisers realise that keeping the funds would be seen as egregious and have invented an excuse to save face. 

I doubt they have taken any advice before issuing that statement, nor will they consulted with their sponsors. And I wouldn't be suprised to see a co-ordinated challenge mounted once the dust has settled.

I'm not concerned about the financial loss or inconvenience to me - it's trivial under the circumstances. But I can't abide companies profiteering off a human tragedy.

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HarryTrauts | 4 years ago
1 like

I find myself feeling quite pragmatic about this.  In their email, they were clear that the Ts&Cs stated that they didn't have to give a refund (who read these before spending their money?) and, that if they did pay the money back, they would go under.  Perhaps they'll still be around next year and I'll get to ride the event again?

I paid the standard fee and it's one I can afford to lose.  In fact, it's already spent so I know I won't miss it.  I'm not getting anything for it but I've got more important things to worry about at the moment. 

Good luck to them and good luck to you all.  Wash your hands and I hope you all remain healthy.

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jigr69 | 4 years ago
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Looking into this company, I'm surprised that such a high profile event is being ran by a company which has but a single director, all the others have resigned and if I didn't know better, looks to be going under. The account filings only cover to the end of 2018, but still they made quite a loss. The administrative costs for the year 2018 was over £1million, which seems exceptionally high. To me, untrained in the workings of businesses, what admin costs could possibly amount to that much?

Whats interesting though, is that the parent company, Chime Group Holdings Ltd, made a very healthy profit, the adjusted profit for the year ending 2018 was over £35m.

If all of the 15,000 paid for fasttrack, the total revenue would be £1.8million, so the actual revenue and therefore refund costs are way less than this. Easily affordable by the parent company.

Being cynical, I could say that taking peoples money, then cancelling the event without having to give refunds, is a blessing to them! It isn't our fault that they didn't take out insurance to cover all eventualities.

Rant over with.

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jononabike replied to jigr69 | 4 years ago
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Simple, all the money is transferred to the parent company, the individual companies are set up so they can fail without the organisers losing any money.

If they run off with everyone's money in full, they won't be getting my money again.

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jigr69 | 4 years ago
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Emails sent out to all and sundry saying that they won't be refunding anyone, as per their T & C's. As for changing event, they will possibly move people onto the Essex event if it isn't cancelled, but nothing as to moving people to the 2021 editiion.

I wonder what profit this company makes, as no doubt the majority of the costs for this event won't happen now, but they still have everyone's entrance fee, it will be boosted after this. If the Essex event is cancelled as well, then they will certainly have a good year, profit wise.

Having entered into the event as a priority entrance for the girlfriend and myself, if they don't offer a partial refund or move to another event, either 2020 or 2021, then I won't be entering again! (I've entered into all of the Birmingham events so far.)

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Muppethunter | 4 years ago
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All cancelled and email confirmed. No refunds either which may get interesting. Annoyingly looks like they're keeping the money and not rolling entries over to next year. Bunch of Muppets.

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brooksby replied to Muppethunter | 4 years ago
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Muppethunter wrote:

All cancelled and email confirmed. No refunds either which may get interesting. Annoyingly looks like they're keeping the money and not rolling entries over to next year. Bunch of Muppets.

Surely they have to refund something, even if not the entire amount?

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jigr69 replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
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brooksby wrote:

Surely they have to refund something, even if not the entire amount?

Quite, they haven't spent all of the money they've accrued from 15,000 entrance fees, plus they also make a profit on this event as well. So there is money there to give refunds, failing to do so, will simply boost the bottom line of this company.

If they don't move my 2 priority entrance fees to another event, either later on in the year or in 2021, then it will be the last one I enter with said company (and I've been to all of the Birminghams events held).

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Tim Walker | 4 years ago
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I strongly suspect that the event will not go ahead and that the organisers will already have realised this. However, they will not be willing to cancel it until they are forced to. I also don't think they will cancel the event as such but will "postpone" it and not offer any refunds to entrants who are unable to meet the deferred date. 

This is the same event organiser of the Etape Caledonia which has been postponded to an as yet undecided date without offering refund options. The organisers T&Cs also state that there are no refunds for force majeure.

I'll be avoiding this company's events in future.  

 

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Tim Walker replied to Tim Walker | 4 years ago
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Well. 

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jigr69 replied to Tim Walker | 4 years ago
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They've said that they aren't postponing it, but it has been cancelled completely. As for refunds, nor will be given, nor have they stated they will change entrances to another event either this year or later.  2

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Jem PT | 4 years ago
4 likes

Yes, ironic indeed that cancellation may occur for the same reason that people are 'trapped in their houses'!

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brooksby replied to Jem PT | 4 years ago
1 like

Bl00dy novel viruses!  I bet they don't even pay road tax!! surprise

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