Pukkelpop 2011

ShortskirtCiara

I wasn't too pushed on seeing them at Pukkelpop anyways but if it was an Eminem ticket I would definitely be so annoyed. Im annoyed at the fact I didnt get to see him at Bangor when I went the whole way to Belguim to see him.

God damn you storm >:(

Professey Chin

ShortskirtCiara wrote: »

I wasn't too pushed on seeing them at Pukkelpop anyways but if it was an Eminem ticket I would definitely be so annoyed. Im annoyed at the fact I didnt get to see him at Bangor when I went the whole way to Belguim to see him.

God damn you storm >:(

Pick one of his shows and wear your short skirt. Thatll get you in :pac:

Smeefa

Bit late with my story but only hame now! We left on the night of the storm, walked halfway to the really far away train station until i randomly asked a nice woman in a red cross jacket directions. She told me the way and asked where we were going. I said "Dunno" and she directed us to a red cross evacuation centre where we got a bed for the night!

Next morning a woman overheard us talking english and asked if we had a place to stay! We said no and she told us to stay in the centre with a group of Italians.
Then we were told to go back to the campsite and find the police, which we did and they told us to go back to the red cross!! After some explanation (and being told to go to the red cross by 3 different policemen) we were instructed to sit in the island of the road outside the festival for 2 hours. We were brought to a community centre/ parish hall type thing for 2 hours where lovely old women showered us with tea and ham sangers!!

We were then bought to a holiday resort called center parcs (Kinda like trabolgan, except nicer) for 2 nights and given a free meal!


We were SO lucky during that festival. Especially when looking at those videos, it brings back how scary it was. And it was pure chance that we asked for directions and were overheard talking in English...

machaire82

ShortskirtCiara wrote: »

Apparently we will be getting refunds according to my dad who actually lives in Belguim...He said according to the media that the insurance doesn't cover 'Acts of God' but apparently the government said they will refund our money? Hopefully this actually happens though!

The Belgian government do have a "disaster fund" which does payout when storms like this or severe flooding causes a lot of "Material" damage. But they first have to get all the damage claims from the various town halls from the different provinces affected (because it wasnt only pukkelpop that was badly damaged) and only when they have a total damage cost will they decide to term it a disaster and payout.

But its looking very likely they will payout as the damage for the province of limburg alone not counting pukkelpop stands at €9 million.
But the problem there is that you could only put a claim in for MATERIAL damage worth €250 or more, so tickets and drink tokens wont be included in that as that is under €250.

Also a full ticket refund is also unlikely as technically Thursday did go ahead even though it was only for 6 hours or so and the organisers had no choice but to cancel it, they could have in theory continued on friday and saturday so if they do payout id say it wont be the full amount.

I would like to think they would reimburse some of the ticket price as i bought a ticket for myself and my sister this year or at least give a discount on next years festival tickets (which is still undecided if it will go ahead but i really hope it does).

Professey Chin

Hmmmmm....I could get very full & drunk off that

NothingMan

I don't really think that's good enough. A full or almost full refund should be offered. It happened half way through day 1 of a 3 day festival and people are not only out of pocket for the festival but for making alternative plans also.

I am glad it's continuing on but I can't see most international fans making the return trip after such a bad experience when there's so many other options and a few quid for food and drink won't change their minds.

I don't know what way insurance is working but I sincerely hope it's not a case of the festival getting a full pay out and offering this compensation that most won't avail of.

Pigwidgeon

I was actually just discussing this last night. At this stage I wasn't expecting anything tbh. While it's a nice gesture and all, and probably a much better deal for those living in belgium, I don't know if I can see myself going back again next year which is a bit annoying that I won't get anything back.

ShortskirtCiara

While this may seem like a good offer to those living in Belguim, for the international attendees it is very poor. There should be an alternative for us who traveled especially for it, paid flights, train journeys & then also had to fork out for alternative accommodation etc when the storm struck as communication to international fans in my opinion was very poor.

And like previously mention, I too can't see myself going again after last years event even though I hope it was only a once of.

Edit: Can we sell these food and drink vouchers back to Pukkelpop for cash??

ShortskirtCiara

Mr.S wrote: »

Check what kind of travel insurance you have (if any) or if your parents have you on any plan. You could be able to claim back. I know people that have.

For the people that are saying they won't go back - why? Would you really let a an accident stop you from going somewhere?

You can't sell them back to Pukkelpop, but they are transferable. So you can sell them to a friend.

How did they go about claiming back through their travel insurance? I'll have to look into it and see. The reason I probably won't be going back is because im off to Canada in March for the year and hopefully longer if I get a good job secured so it would be doubtful I'd get to go back.

languagenerd

Mr.S wrote: »

Remember, the vouchers can be used for 3 years!

I don't think they can - you get €50 for each year was my understanding...

Not a great deal for anyone living outside Belgium! I don't know if I want to go back anyway, it was the first time I was there this year and I don't know if I could get past the memory of it! If I went, every gust of wind or drop of rain would terrify me, I'd just be really uneasy.

I might take em and try sell em online for 75% of their value or something....

thecountessp

I was at it with a couple of friends and I still feel a bit sick thinking about it. It's such an awesome festival, but I really don't think I can go back again. I built it up as my one epic holiday of the year as 2010's was so good, and boy did that not pan out.

I agree about the international attendees; all those close enough on the continent had the option of getting a train home, most of 'em for free. Myself and my friend ended up in Leuven (it's quite nice, but that's not he point) as the flights home were €220 per person minimum.

Not going abroad for a festival next year, full stop. Forbidden Fruit had better be on again, it was savage.

languagenerd

Finally got around to printing the food vouchers today - and I'm really annoyed now because they put our names on them!

Even though it says on the website and in the emails that "these tickets are not personal" and "can be transferred to someone else who's going this year", it has my name and address on it - and it looks like the (non-transferable) festival tickets... We'll never be able to sell them, people won't wanna risk buying something with someone else's name on it :mad:

Also, when downloading them, you have to agree not to seek restitution for unused 2011 Food & Drink vouchers! :mad:, but you can't decide not to, because you've only one chance to download these things! I don't understand why they can't reimburse those, they weren't used at the stalls so the vendors can't be looking for them... and don't they reimburse any left over at the end of a normal festival anyway? Gah.

Stretchryan

Nope i think you can hand them onto anybody even if a name and address on them. But pissed too re 2011 vouchers as think still had 60eur of them. But i requested that these be donated to the disaster fund....

Still be going next year and class festival will be interesting to see if can attract big names i assume some bands that were supposed to play last year will play at a lower fee but can see the lineup been not as strong as previous years....

languagenerd

Stretchryan wrote: »

Nope i think you can hand them onto anybody even if a name and address on them.

Yeah, you can, but I don't think anyone's gonna want to buy em (unless they were there in 2011 and know what they look like). You know the way they make such a big deal about not transferring/selling the festival tickets? If you didn't know about these vouchers being transferrable, they look like they're not... People just won't wanna take a risk...

ShortskirtCiara

Thats a load of nonsense. I know it was a natural disaster and everything but I am still pissed off at how there not including the International attendees to the festival as people who live in Belguim or in the Netherlands for instance, they will also go and don't travel far, can carpool, get trains etc and go home very easily if something happens. Whereas were literally stranded or have to fork out serious money for flights home. Ridiculous. I won't be going back again, too many bad memories last year and it was my first time so if I was ever to go back again, I'd be worried something similiar might happen again.

In terms of the food and drink vouchers, I'm gonna try and pawn them off, try and get a bit of money back seeing as pukkelpop wont do it themselves.