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Helsinki Beer Festival: A shameful scam
by Asa Butcher
2009-05-18 09:59:25 |
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The Helsinki Beer Festival is a popular annual event that has grown in reputation over the past few years and it was with some anticipation that I looked forward to attending it this year. It had been over six years since I first attended, so I was interested in seeing first-hand how the festival had changed and why it had become so popular; I even organised a group of friends to attend with me. However, the Saturday night out didn't go quite as planned with all of our group feeling cheated, disappointed and angry. It isn't often that I complain, but on this occasion my conscience cannot let the event remain an anecdote among friends, but should be shared with whomever wants to read it.
Our group of five were happy to pay the slightly extortionate 12 euro entrance fee and were eager to take a sip of the first beer, but we never got the chance. As the first of our group tried to enter the main hall of the Cable Factory one of the two security staff stopped him and asked him for his ticket. He showed them the ticket stub we had just received, but was told that was not the right one. Confused, my friend asked what other ticket could there be to which he was told that he needed to get a coat check ticket by paying a further 2,50 euros.
“But I don't have a coat!” my friend exclaimed. The man informed him that it didn't matter whether he had a coat or not, he still needed to buy a ticket from the coat check desk. “Why do we need to pay again after paying an entrance fee?” my friend asked, to which the security man answered, “To pay our wages!” None of us could believe what he was saying, “But that's a scam!” my friend exclaimed, “There's no sign posted saying that we must buy a further ticket on top of the entrance fee; that's got to be illegal!”
What happened next still defies belief... the shorter security man actually went to physically attack my friend, yes, he physically went for him! The other security man held him back and we immediately asked to see their boss. He took the five of us back to the main entrance where we told him of our disappointment, disgust and shock of this situation, and, to his credit, was very friendly, calm and receptive to our complaints. After he had agreed to refund our entrance fee we asked for the name of his security company so we could make an official complaint about the unprofessional conduct of a member of his staff; he refused to tell us!
We left feeling ripped off, disappointed and disgusted by the events and are still unable to comprehend the whole scene. Why wasn't the “coat” charge included in the entrance fee? You don't buy a cinema ticket only to have an usher charger you to take you to your seat! And why hire security staff that are obviously psyched up and looking for confrontation, instead of acting in the calm manner of the boss? I am angry at them for spoiling an evening that I had been anticipating and deeply shocked by the actions of the security team. I certainly will not be considering attending the Helsinki Beer Festival again until there are reassurances that none of these easy-to-fix issues have been resolved.
I expected a hangover on Sunday morning, but I didn't expect to have such a bitter taste in my mouth.
Helsinki+Beer+Festival Helsinki Finland |
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