Devastation as weddings cancelled at Wolverhampton hotel ballroom used as courtroom
Couples have been left devastated after their dream wedding venue was selected as a Nightingale court to help tackle a backlog in cases.
Months' worth of weddings have been cancelled in Wolverhampton due to the extension of an agreement between The Park Hall Hotel and Spa and the Ministry of Justice for the use of the hotel’s ballroom.
Brides-to-be have been left frantically rearranging vendors, such as DJs and videographers, with some struggling to find a new venue for their required dates.
One woman, who was supposed to get married in June, was told in January over phone that the hotel’s ballroom was no longer available.
She said: "I was anxious, upset and crying. We were told the reason it's been cancelled is they have promised to be a venue for the Nightingale court.
"But why did they take our money in March, surely they knew about the deal by that time?
"They have told us they didn’t know it would be extended.
"We've lost £5,500 to our vendors, such as DJ and videographer.
"I have had to take time off work as I'm so stressed and sick of it, it has turned our lives upside down.
"Our honeymoon was going to be paid for with the money we have used for the vendors, we might not be able to go on one at all now."
The venue has expressed deep regret on the situation and pledged to assist with the finding of alternative venues.
A spokesperson for The Park Hall Hotel and Spa said: "The hotel has received notification from the Ministry of Justice that the current Nightingale Court contract is to be extended, the court is held in the hotel’s ballroom.
"It is with deep regret that larger weddings which had planned to use the ballroom over the coming months have to be cancelled.
"We appreciate how distressing and upsetting cancelling a wedding is, for not only the bride and groom but for all the guests that have been not only looking forward to celebrating the union but in many cases have made significant travel arrangements too.
"That is why we have invited couples to the hotel so we can discuss this situation with them in person."
The spokesperson added that they were offering "our sincere apologies" to everyone affected as well as the use of the venue's orangery for up to 180 guests as a possible alternative, which many couples had taken up, as it leads onto the gardens.
"If the Orangery is not suitable we are assisting them with finding them another venue, transferring the wedding plans to the new venue, and also arranging a full refund."
Another couple, who asked to not be named, were informed on January 27 that the venue was no longer available for their wedding in June.
The couple are struggling to get another venue, and with their honeymoon already booked for the next day, they are in limbo on whether they will be able to go.
