Ticket booking facilities for up to 50 arts organisations, including the Barbican, the Lowry, the Tate and the Royal Academy of Arts, were left in brief chaos this month by the collapse of ticketing agency Keith Prowse. The company, which is owned by the Seatem Group, abruptly ceased trading earlier this month – a move which instantly left over 100 employees in its Northern Ireland call centre without jobs. Enta Ticketing Systems, which is responsible for the software used by many ticket agencies, cultural organisations and tourist attractions to sell and book tickets for customers, is understood to have stepped into the breach to ensure minimal inconvenience was caused for clients and the public. Before its sale to private equity firm Octopus Investments back in May, Enta Ticketing Systems was also owned by The Seatem Group.
At the time of going to press, The Seatem Group faces a High Court hearing of a petition put forward by Fulham Football Club to wind up Seatem Ticketing Services Ltd. With trading for the company suspended on 11 August, the company remains in limbo. If the petition is successful, an official administrator will be tasked with deciding the future of the company.
Andrew Sharp, Managing Director of Enta Ticketing Solutions in the UK (there are two subsidiary Enta companies, neither of which is owned by Octopus, in Australia and the USA), told AP, “There are people who believe the Keith Prowse brand has value and therefore may want to buy it. I suppose the right to use the name is an asset of the business.” But until administrators are announced, there is little but uncertainty for customers owed tickets or money by the group. For ex-employees, the news is even worse as some, reportedly, have yet to be paid any wages for their last month of employment.
Published: 26-08-2010