Northeastern couples were heartbroken after their weddings were canceled by a Northumberland venue that nearly tripled its prices.
A multitude of wedding plans are now in turmoil after Matfen Hall informed couples they must spend at least £ 20,000 to go on their date.
The venue increased its minimum spend level after claiming that it cannot continue operating at a loss with the previously agreed fees.
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Chris Marshall, 32, and his fiancée Laura Davies, 31, were due to tie the knot at Matfen Hall on November 5th next year and were “disgusted” when they received an email on Friday about the cancellation.
“It was horrific. The letter is so cold and it’s like they don’t care,” said Chris of South Shields.
“It is incredible how you dealt with the situation. We are absolutely devastated.”
The couple, who had agreed a £ 9,000 fee for their big day, had paid a £ 1,000 deposit last year to secure the booking.
The couple now have to lose around £ 500 in other supplier deposits if they can’t find an alternate venue on the same date.
Chris said, “We were so excited to get married there because we fell in love with the place when we looked around.
Chris and his fiancée Laura are heartbroken after losing their dream wedding location
(Image: Submitted)
“After all that, we’re glad we don’t get married there if they treat people like that.
“It has been manic the last few days figuring out what we’re going to do. You should enjoy organizing your wedding, but that ruined the experience for us.”
Matfen Hall underwent a multi-million pound renovation during national lockdowns after it was purchased by Northumberland hotel company Walwick Estate Group last summer.
Zac Mavin and Beth Roberts, both 26, were devastated when they had to cancel their July 14 wedding – which would have been their 10th anniversary – due to Covid-19.
The Ashington couple agreed with Matfen Hall to postpone the date by a year and keep the same terms of paying around £ 7,000 for their wedding.
Zac Mavin and Beth Roberts had nearly tripled their Matfen Hall wedding price
(Image: Submitted)
But weeks later, they were baffled after receiving a new bill that nearly tripled to accommodate the venue’s new pricing structure.
Zac said: “I was absolutely speechless. We thought £ 20,000 was a joke.
“We had turned our hearts to Matfen Hall, but now my skin is creeping up when I hear it mentioned.
“When we looked at the bill, they had removed a lot of the extras that would make our day special and then billed us almost three times as much for that privilege.
“The venue said they could keep our original price if we got married before March 31st next year, which I think is darn cheeky. It’s clear they don’t care.
Matfen Halle was recently renovated
(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
“Fortunately, we managed to secure Jesmond Dene House for July 14th next year so we wouldn’t lose any money.”
Matfen Hall says it honored 119 weddings agreed by previous management that cost the hotel more than £ 1.2 million.
However, it is said that it cannot “lose” any further and that it is a “difficult decision” to be made at a difficult time for the hospitality industry.
A spokesman said: “The hotel employs over 130 people and uses many local suppliers who trust in us.
“Our team takes care of our guests with passion and ensures that they have their dream wedding. However, it is not possible to assume these costs indefinitely and at the same time ensure that the Matfen Saal remains a place where people can relax and marriages can come for many years in the future.
“We understand that this will be disappointing for those affected by this difficult decision in what is now an extremely challenging time for the hospitality industry.
“The challenge of hosting weddings at a loss has been compounded by the huge labor shortage we are now experiencing in the UK hospitality industry.
“At the time we made our commitment, we couldn’t foresee the enormous additional burden this would put on our existing staff to cope with the volume of weddings we saw due to postponements and early cancellations.
“Every wedding is special and we have tried our best to avoid it. We have refunded all deposits and given everyone concerned more than nine months’ notice, but we are aware of the disappointment this has caused.”
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