New ticket refund initiative launched to support UK events industry

Thousands of events have been cancelled or postponed around the world following the spread of COVID-19, resulting in many attendees looking to organisers for refunds.

ForgoMyRefund.org is a new initiative launched to help support independent events organisers that are losing money because of coronavirus. The statement on the site reads, "event organisers get hit from both sides. It’s unlikely they will get a refund on artists, or performers, or venues that have been booked, and they need to refund ticket purchases. There’s not much they can recoup."

Instead of getting a refund, ticketholders have the option to not be refunded, and can enter details of their event in order to support the events industry. The site reads, "If you have bought a ticket to an independently run event that has been cancelled, consider whether you would mind not being refunded to support the event organiser or venue."

The site states that so far, the initiative has saved £902 in refunds from 55 ticket buyers supporting 42 event organisers.

The initiative has been launched hot on the heels of Boris Johnson's advice to the UK to avoid clubs, theatres, and pubs without enforcing a temporary closure on such places. Music Venue Trust have penned an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to legally close venues temporarily to avoid the permanent closure of grassroots venues.