What to do if your gig or festival is cancelled - and how to get your money back

If your great night out or legendary festival weekender is cancelled at the last minute, you could be due a full refund or even compensation - and with festival and gig ticket prices increasing by around a fifth in the last year, you will be wanting every penny of that money back.

Mancs know the importance of this more than most, with the recent chaotic launch of the Co-Op Live arena resulting in cancellations, delays, and ultimately, thousands of refunds for disappointed gig-goers who missed out on seeing their favourite acts perform.

Because of this, Manchester-born consumer finance expert Martyn James has shared what to do if your gig or festival is cancelled this summer. Martyn shared: "I’m very proud of my hometown of Manchester. So when the news came that the UK’s biggest concert venue was about to open in the city last month, I was thrilled," the Mirror reports.

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He continued: "A publicity blitz occurred. We were promised ground-breaking acoustics, all kinds of innovations to impress the most seasoned gig-goer and even Harry Styles was on board! Well, I think we all know what happened next… After weeks of messages from tearful Olivia Rodrigo fans and endless calls from my friends who had tickets booked for upcoming events, the Co-op Live Arena has finally opened with the mighty Elbow giving the first official concert.

"But all of this left me thinking about gigs, festivals, events, sports and other things that we might have booked and paid for. If something goes wrong, what happens about refunds? What about hotel rooms? What if a headliner doesn’t show up to a festival? Here’s my guide to all of this and more (with a little