CUSTOMERS who bought tickets to a cancelled event for families in Basingstoke are still waiting for refunds, more than a month later.

As previously reported, Kids Party in the Park was cancelled a week before it was due to be held in Popley on April 12, because the organisers failed to show how they would keep the public safe.

Families who bought tickets for the event, which cost up to £80 for a family of four, were told that refunds had been issued, but could take up to 30 days to process.

READ MORE: Kids Party in the Park - everything we know about cancelled Basingstoke event

However, more than a month later and those who contacted the Gazette to say they are waiting for a refund have still not received their money back.

Jaysie Braithwaite, who has been responding to emails from Kids Party in the Park, initially said that all refunds were issued on the date of cancellation but said “processing times may vary dependent on payment type used and also the ticket site in which you purchased”.

Ms Braithwaite told the Gazette via email that “refunds are processed by the ticketing site in which the tickets were purchased from. These were on multiple sites”.

However, we approached one of the ticketing sites selling Kids Party in the Park tickets – Ticket Tailor – which said “we never see or touch ticket money”.

It added: “Ticket Tailor is a platform that allows event organisers to sell tickets directly to their audience and set their own ticket terms and conditions.”

SEE ALSO: Luxury Hampshire hotel with fun pool and horseriding where kids and dogs are welcome

We went back to Kids Party in the Park which said it uses Stripe money portal to hold ticket money until an event is completed, and that refunds have been requested from Stripe, but can take “up to 30 days”.

However, information on Stripe’s website states that after a refund is initiated, customers will see the refund as a credit approximately five to 10 business days later.

It only takes up to 30 days if there was an issue refunding the money.

Lindsay Tottman is still waiting for her ticket refund and said the delay is “totally unacceptable”. She said she has contacted Kids Party in the Park but had no response.

Donna West, who bought tickets for her two children who both have additional needs, is also still waiting for a refund for a family ticket costing £80. 

However, she said she has received a refund for a single child ticket she purchased separately and said the organisers did respond to her a week ago to reassure her that all refunds are being processed. 

Kids Party in the Park did not go ahead in Basingstoke because the borough council said the organisers failed to obtain a licence which was refused on the grounds of ‘public safety’.

A borough council spokesperson said: “As a council we would expect the event organiser to refund those people who have purchased tickets and would not consider any future event bookings on our land from the organiser if this does not happen.”

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke Kids Party in the Park cancelled over 'public safety' concerns

The company is continuing to sell tickets to another event due to take place in Portsmouth on May 29, but has not yet secured a licence for this.

A spokesperson for Portsmouth City Council said: “The council is working through the events safety advisory group process with the organiser and we are waiting for the organiser to send through the outstanding documentation.

“We advise organisers not to market their event until permission to go ahead has been granted by the events safety advisory group but we are aware they are selling tickets for their event.

“We are aware of the concerns raised by other local authorities but we have a robust process in place for granting permission for events to go ahead in the city and we are working through this process currently with the organiser.”

Kids Party in the Park has not responded to a request for a comment.