Bempton meet up

gramps said:
No you can raise a problem and if the seller doesn't sort it Paypal can refund.
Not a good sign that emails are being returned I'll do a Paypal claim tomorrow.
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When we get through this I hope we can rearrange for next year as I am sure we will enjoy it and appreciate how lucky we are. I will however have difficulty booking with Steve Race.

Question for Mike (Pooley) have you met this photographer?

I trust everyone is keeping well.
 
Brentor said:
When we get through this I hope we can rearrange for next year as I am sure we will enjoy it and appreciate how lucky we are. I will however have difficulty booking with Steve Race.

Question for Mike (Pooley) have you met this photographer?

I trust everyone is keeping well.
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Steve Race is well established but this year he will likely be living on a lot of money for workshops that cannot be taken.
Unlikely that I will be going to Bempton next year so he can't offer me an 'alternative', even if I believed he could fit everyone in and live next year off of this years bookings.
 
I think it would be nice if we could all meet up next year, might even get a few more with more notice.

Gutted its gone belly up this year but that's very much a first world problem right now!

@brentnor - no, I've never met Steve Race, I just chose him as it appears the best boat for this trip.

Maybe we give them a little benefit of the doubt as there must be loads of people asking for refunds right now, hope they sort us out and we get to try again in 2021.

If he still doesn't respond though, all bets are off!
 
gramps said:
Steve Race is well established but this year he will likely be living on a lot of money for workshops that cannot be taken.
Unlikely that I will be going to Bempton next year so he can't offer me an 'alternative', even if I believed he could fit everyone in and live next year off of this years bookings.
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Sorry to hear that. I trust you are well and I look forward to your Slimbridge posts. I am hoping to renew my WWT membership next year.
 
pooley said:
I think it would be nice if we could all meet up next year, might even get a few more with more notice.

Gutted its gone belly up this year but that's very much a first world problem right now!

@brentnor - no, I've never met Steve Race, I just chose him as it appears the best boat for this trip.

Maybe we give them a little benefit of the doubt as there must be loads of people asking for refunds right now, hope they sort us out and we get to try again in 2021.

If he still doesn't respond though, all bets are off!
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Let us see what happens. I would rather he was open with the issues rather than shut down communication.
 
Brentor said:
Let us see what happens. I would rather he was open with the issues rather than shut down communication
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The wife had a boat trip booked for the 22nd May, as I said in an early post, it would've been unlikely we'd have made this meet due to our daughter expecting us first grandchild around the middle of June

.......Anyway, reason for posting, she emailed this morning asking what the situation was and got a reply back within a couple of hours.

It reads that the trip will most likely be cancelled but they are still hoping government guidelines will change and it'll be able to go ahead.

Failing that, they'll be intouch with available dates for this year or 2021

Also, just to add, she didn't ask for a refund as she said she'll be happy with an alternative date
 
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Phil-D said:
The wife had a boat trip booked for the 22nd May, as I said in an early post, it would've been unlikely we'd have made this meet due to our daughter expecting us first grandchild around the middle of June

.......Anyway, reason for posting, she emailed this morning asking what the situation was and got a reply back within a couple of hours.

It reads that the trip will most likely be cancelled but they are still hoping government guidelines will change and it'll be able to go ahead.

Failing that, they'll be intouch with available dates for this year or 2021

Also, just to add, she didn't ask for a refund as she said she'll be happy with an alternative date
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Thanks. Please let me know what email address she used as the two I tried were returned with non-delivery messages.
 
I was really looking forward to bempton this year due to not making it last year thanks to heart failure. But Sod’s law happens if I’m still alive next year theres always Another chance .. let’s not forget this poxy virus is affecting everyone in the whole world ..keep it real lads
 
the black fox said:
I was really looking forward to bempton this year due to not making it last year thanks to heart failure. But Sod’s law happens if I’m still alive next year theres always Another chance .. let’s not forget this poxy virus is affecting everyone in the whole world ..keep it real lads
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Similar health issues here but I basically agree with your sentiment.
The sad thing is that my experience thus far with sellers in this current pandemic situation, is that they are very happy to take your money, even when they don't have supplies or cannot possibly meet the promises made in their sale but not so keen to put things right when they can't supply and maybe that's coloured my view.
If I had taken the view that everyone I had bought from in the last month or so was just another unfortunate individual and I should just 'let it go' I would be approximately £350 out of pocket at the moment ... even now I am awaiting refunds for around £170, which could take until the end of the month to work their way back to me.
I truly sympathise with every business affected by the pandemic but I simply cannot afford to subsidise them, the Government has decided how they can be helped and it didn't include random donations from me ... that will no doubt come through taxes and services in the years to come.
Does that sound hard?
For me it's reality, I have limited resources.
 
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gramps said:
Similar health issues here but I basically agree with your sentiment.
The sad thing is that my experience thus far with sellers in this current pandemic situation, is that they are very happy to take your money, even when they don't have supplies or cannot possibly meet the promises made in their sale but not so keen to put things right when they can't supply and maybe that's coloured my view.
If I had taken the view that everyone I had bought from in the last month or so was just another unfortunate individual and I should just 'let it go' I would be approximately £350 out of pocket at the moment ... even now I am awaiting refunds for around £170, which could take until the end of the month to work their way back to me.
I truly sympathise with every business affected by the pandemic but I simply cannot afford to subsidise them, the Government has decided how they can be helped and it didn't include random donations from me ... that will no doubt come through taxes and services in the years to come.
Does that sound hard?
For me it's reality, I have limited resources.
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I am not in the same position as I am still working but who knows for how long. I have also found that some companies are great with the sales side but when it comes to customer service they are very unstaffed. Another small one became abusive when I complained, they were effectively hiding behind the pandemic to hide their negligence.
 
Has everyone now received a refund? Even if the lock down is lifted before 23June I cannot see the restrictions for the vulnerable or social distancing being replaced being removed by that date. Being in a small boat will just not be allowed.
 
Brentor said:
Has everyone now received a refund? Even if the lock down is lifted before 23June I cannot see the restrictions for the vulnerable or social distancing being replaced being removed by that date. Being in a small boat will just not be allowed.
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The wife's had her trip rescheduled to the beginning of August.

In the last email she received, it says if that date has to be cancelled, she'll have the option to either reschedule to next year or have a full refund.
 
Brentor said:
Has everyone now received a refund? Even if the lock down is lifted before 23June I cannot see the restrictions for the vulnerable or social distancing being replaced being removed by that date. Being in a small boat will just not be allowed.
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Despite the cry from some quarters to get everything back up and running, the bottom line seems to be that it won't be okay until they find a vaccine, which could be 12 months+ away. For me the trip was to tie in with a holiday, which has now been cancelled, it just isn't an option to drop everything and travel up to Yorkshire for a day trip on some supposedly safe day later in the year.
 
gramps said:
Despite the cry from some quarters to get everything back up and running, the bottom line seems to be that it won't be okay until they find a vaccine, which could be 12 months+ away. For me the trip was to tie in with a holiday, which has now been cancelled, it just isn't an option to drop everything and travel up to Yorkshire for a day trip on some supposedly safe day later in the year.
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Have you had a refund Roger? I can't imagine there'd be a problem from such an established company.

Lynn's hoping she'll get the later date and even if that's cancelled, she says she'll probably re-book for next year.

Its close enough for us and as you know, we go regularly, so not really a problem.
 
Phil-D said:
Have you had a refund Roger? I can't imagine there'd be a problem from such an established company.

Lynn's hoping she'll get the later date and even if that's cancelled, she says she'll probably re-book for next year.

Its close enough for us and as you know, we go regularly, so not really a problem.
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I haven't Phil, he's just saying that he hasn't cancelled the trip - but I think that's wishful thinking, the Government has extended the furlough scheme to June and the chances of the removal of social-distancing by then seems nil to me.
If I was as nearby as you it might be different ... as it is he's not responded at all politely to my communication!
 
gramps said:
.. as it is he's not responded at all politely to my communication!
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That’s disappointing. Times are very difficult but politeness costs nothing and if businesses do survive, how they treated their customers will be remembered.
 
I feel for you all with the booking of this. As I‘m not involved I can see both side of this but I kind of have a similiar situation in that I have a season ticket for my football team (there will be a point where football resumess and I will have to make a decision whether to go to matches or not. Once football resumes a refund won't be available and I go with my 73 year old dad so it will be a difficult decision to make whether to lose the rest of the money we have already paid or risk getting the virus by going to a football match where thousands attend and there is no chance to social distance).

This virus has created a horrible situation for everyone, whether you’re the person booking or running this trip. The problem is no one has a crystal ball and can say what’s happening next week let alone in 8 weeks time. I think it’s one where time can will help. As it gets closer to the date the situation will become clearer, government advice and rules will be updated and that will help to resolve the situation one way or another. I’m with you that this ‘lockdown’ isn’t going to end and suddenly we are back to how it was at the start of March. It’s going to be a gradual phased lifting of restrictions which no one can predict when or what they will be.

Brentor said:
Times are very difficult but politeness costs nothing and if businesses do survive, how they treated their customers will be remembered.
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I think you are right that people will remember how certain companies have treated customers and staff after this is all over. I think we have to also understand that this is an unprecedented situation which no one has been in previously (well not in our lifetimes anyway. I doubt there are many alive now who experienced and remember the Spanish Flu) so there isn’t a manual to guide any of us through handling the situation.
 
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gramps said:
I haven't Phil, he's just saying that he hasn't cancelled the trip - but I think that's wishful thinking, the Government has extended the furlough scheme to June and the chances of the removal of social-distancing by then seems nil to me.
If I was as nearby as you it might be different ... as it is he's not responded at all politely to my communication!
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I've never met Steve Race Roger and to say I've been to a few FBO charity events, is surprising. I know quite a few that know him well and everyone seems to speak highly of him but I agree, politeness in business when dealing with customers is very important.

So far, communication with Lynn has been excellent but her situation is a little different, she's certainly more flexible with dates which has to help in his situation.

Maybe he's hoping that trips booked beyond the end of May will still go ahead? I can see both sides, you not wanting to go and him hoping that by the middle of June restrictions won't be as tight..........its a strange one, that tbf, no one knows the answer or has a solution.

Hopefully things will get sorted and you'll get a satisfactory outcome Roger.
 
Phil-D said:
I've never met Steve Race Roger and to say I've been to a few FBO charity events, is surprising. I know quite a few that know him well and everyone seems to speak highly of him but I agree, politeness in business when dealing with customers is very important.

So far, communication with Lynn has been excellent but her situation is a little different, she's certainly more flexible with dates which has to help in his situation.

Maybe he's hoping that trips booked beyond the end of May will still go ahead? I can see both sides, you not wanting to go and him hoping that by the middle of June restrictions won't be as tight..........its a strange one, that tbf, no one knows the answer or has a solution.

Hopefully things will get sorted and you'll get a satisfactory outcome Roger.
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I was surprised by his attitude Phil, I realise he wants to save all the trips and in different circumstances I might agree.
However I assume that in addition to the revenue he has already received up front for most of the trips (last time I looked they were pretty well all booked up) he is also able to claim the government handout?
Anyway we shall resolve it soon.
 
Brentor said:
When we get through this I hope we can rearrange for next year as I am sure we will enjoy it and appreciate how lucky we are. I will however have difficulty booking with Steve Race.

Question for Mike (Pooley) have you met this photographer?

I trust everyone is keeping well.
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I went on his Gannet workshop about 3 years ago. Very nice guy and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend it, as it's a great morning out. I would go on another of his workshop, given the chance.

Definitely keep the SS high though :)
 
Received an email today to say the 22 June will not go ahead and offering a rebooking either later this year or next.

Is it worth trying to agree a date?
 
Brentor said:
Received an email today to say the 22 June will not go ahead and offering a rebooking either later this year or next.

Is it worth trying to agree a date?
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Were you not offered a refund?

@gramps

Have you been offered a refund Roger?

Although through no fault of his own, the trip has now been cancelled by them so a refund should be an alternative surely?
 
Phil-D said:
Have you been offered a refund Roger?

Although through no fault of his own, the trip has now been cancelled by them so a refund should be an alternative surely?
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I think he's just offering trips at a later date, he certainly wasn't prepared to give me a refund and was quite unhelpful (to the point of being downright evasive) however I had an offer from someone to buy my ticket for their later use, so I am not out of pocket.
 
Did anyone get a credit note ? last email was from Steve to say he will add me to the credit note list for future booking (I chose this option rather than rebooking there and then as I have no idea when I can get up there from North Devon and would rather book next year when hopefully things settle and I can travel to Sheffield for work and combine the two again)
 
I was not offered a credit note but a rebooking which for me needs to be next year. The difficulty is selecting a date so far in advance. If I end up losing £90 it is not the end of the world.
 
I rebooked for August this year as its only a couple of hours away from mine but I'm sure if you just book a slot for next year, then as long as you give Steve reasonable notice you could ask for a further move again once you identify a suitable date
 
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