Major charity ball cancelled because of court extension at Wolverhampton hotel
A charity black-tie ball set to drum up tens of thousands of pounds has been cancelled because the Wolverhampton hotel where it was due to be held is to continue as a courtroom for longer than planned.
Sir Lenny Henry’s sister, Kay Hinton, and Beverley Knight’s mother, Deloris Smith, had planned to host the event with celebrity guests at Park Hall Hotel & Spa next month.
But the extravaganza, with tickets costing £60-a-head, is among bookings cancelled because the Ministry of Justice has extended its Nightingale Court inside the hotel.
The hotel, in Park Drive, Goldthorn Park, has apologised after cancelling scores of bookings, including weddings.
Kay said that £20,000 already raised from ticket sales and donations for charities Mind, Cruse and Macmillan Cancer Support has had to be refunded.
She said: “We would have loved to have hosted our charity ball at the hotel, but it wasn’t to be due to the Nightingale Court remaining at the hotel for another year. We did think about looking for a different venue, but in the end we decided not to go ahead.
“We’ve refunded the monies that had come in from tickets and donations, and people have the option to donate directly online to those three charities if they wish.
"Hopefully in the future we can have another go.”
Months’ worth of weddings have also been cancelled or re-arranged at the venue due to the extension of an agreement between the hotel and and the Government for the use of the hotel’s ballroom, leaving some brides-to-be devastated.
Hotel bosses have apologised to affected customers and has offered the use of its orangery for up to 180 guests as a possible alternative, which many wedding couples have taken up.
Deloris, a well-known fundraiser of bereavement service Cruse Support, and Kay, who recently underwent cancer treatment, decided to combine their charity fundraising and business acumen to organise the event.
Wolverhampton-born Beverley Knight - who has had a string of hits, including Shoulda Woulda Coulda, Sista Sista and Made It Back and landed lead roles in musicals including The Bodyguard - is currently on the Starstruck judging panel alongside actress Sheridan Smith and Queen’s Adam Lambert.
A spokeswoman for the hotel said: "The hotel was approached by the organiser who wished to host an event in April, but at the time of the booking the Covid restrictions were unclear about holding events for large gatherings, so other months were also under consideration. Earlier this year the Nightingale Court contract was extended.
"We informed the organiser who then decided not to go ahead with the event and refund all the guests. We offered assistance to look into alternative venues but that offer of assistance wasn’t taken up."
