Pub in the Park collapse leaves almost £1m shortfall

The collapse of a planned outdoor festival to celebrate the British pub, Pub in the Park, has left creditors out-of-pocket by just under £1m.

Pub in the Park was due to take place last September in Greenwich Park, south-east London, but was cancelled a few weeks before as organisers struggled with poor ticket sales.

The event was planned as a showcase for pub culture with national pool and darts competitions as well as bands, stalls and comedians.

Organiser Custom Made Events called in insolvency practitioner Wilson Field in November last year and documents show a £926,765 is owed to creditors.

Among the biggest creditors are Scottish & Newcastle which is owed £69,000 and Carlsberg which is owed £41,457.

Custom TV is owed £385,000, Budweiser Budvar is owed £23,000 and British American Tobacco £17,250.

Among the small creditors are Leisure PR & Communications, which is owed £6,956 and Freedom Brewery which is out-of-pocket by £2,594.

Custom Made Events was founded by former publishing executives Sarah Traynor, David Wilson and Simon Craig. 

Traynor told a national newspaper that all ticket sales had been refunded and the directors had between them lost more than £500,000.

She said: "In any other climate it would have worked and been a terrific success. We worked extremely hard for two years and came very close."

Denis Cox, public relations spokesman for Budvar, said the festival had presented "a timely opportunity to make a worthwhile investment in the kind of activity that would help give the British pub business a much needed pick-me-up".

He added: "The whole affair has left a nasty taste, but it won't stop us from looking at innovative ideas and concepts in the future."