Lack of organisation was the major factor behind the problems which arose at last month's Barbra Streisand concert, a report by the Consumers' Association of Ireland has concluded.
The association says concertgoers whose seats were taken when they arrived at the concert should be given a full refund, and compensation should be paid to many others who complained about the problems they experienced at the concert, held in the grounds of Castletown House.
Concert promoters MCD yesterday noted the report and said the committee it appointed to examine the problems which arose at the concert would publish its conclusions next month.
The CAI report summarises complaints from 95 people who held 343 tickets for the concert. Barbra Streisand's first appearance in Ireland was one of the most expensive shows staged here, with ticket prices costing up to €550. Even the concert programme cost €35.
However, for many concertgoers the event was marred by traffic problems travelling to and at the venue, a lack of stewarding, their inability to locate their seats and mucky conditions underfoot, especially in the carpark.
At the time, MCD blamed the problems on bad weather, roadworks on the M50/N4 and the action of some people in taking seats that were not allocated to them and then refusing to give them up.
However, the CAI says the complaints it received did not tally with this explanation. Some 53 complaints related to seating problems, 57 with traffic issues, 42 about carparking facilities and 26 about the venue in general.
Association chief executive Dermot Jewell said the failure to provide the seat a consumer paid for was a breach of contract, and these people should be reimbursed.
Complaints about traffic referred not to roadworks but to the fact that only one entrance to Castletown House was open for the concert. Other complaints related to poor toilet facilities and the cost of refreshments.
"We believe the lack of organisation of the concert was the major factor in these complaints and, accordingly, these concertgoers should be refunded and compensated for their lack of enjoyment of the concert," Mr Jewell said.
"In our view, this is one of the worst examples of a failure to deliver the quality of customer service that is purposed to exist within this company's culture." The disrespect with which customers had been treated suggested the need for MCD to audit its policies on the delivery of service.
