BBC Radio Three Counties has yet again taken up the Consumer cause and Simon Lederman on the breakfast show this morning gave airtime to voice his concerns over the Scam Websites. Chairman of the Association of Secondary Ticket Agents Mr. Graham Burns aired his views on how the Government should take action. Commenting on the need for a kitemark scheme he said: “no thinking person would purchase airline or Hotel reservations without first determining that the Travel Agent is a member of a Bone Fide Trade Association” – why is it we wonder that the government has not made Trade Body membership compulsory?

Commenting on this years Festivals, Burns went on to say: “the majority of Festival goers are by far, Students and in most cases they do not have a Credit Card so their purchase is made using a Debit Card. This purchase of course is not covered by section 75 of the consumer guarantee and they lose all of their money.”

Something MUST be done, this is an Industry problem and the Industry, if the Government don’t mind, should bear the burden of sorting it out. The present Government are committed to cost cutting so it follows that we do not need yet another “consultation”. The answer lies in the last Government’s report – THERE SHOULD BE AN INDUSTRY KITE MARKING SCHEME. Well guess what, there is, for both Primary and Secondary agents. All we need is this Government to grasp the nettle!

We can only hope for the future, but right now our concerns are with the Summer Festivals so a greater awareness BEFORE the event is the immediate priority. We would thank BBC Radio 3 Counties and Simon Lederman for giving this very important subject airtime.