Business, Charity, Poole | Posted on November 15th, 2024 | return to news
Poole theatre issues warning after payment provider breakdown
Poole Lighthouse survived a ‘substantial’ threat to its business after its payment services provider withdrew its facility without warning.
A theatre in Poole had to adapt quickly last week when its payment service provider unexpectedly withdrew its facility, leaving the venue without any means to take payments for tickets. The theatre is now warning other businesses who use the banking provider to include this possibility in their risk register.
Lighthouse Poole sells more than 200,000 tickets a year through provider Worldpay. But on Thursday 7 November, the global banking company switched off its services, without any warning, explanation or communication with the venue’s managers.
Ahead of major performances and several film screenings, Lighthouse staff had to take rapid emergency action to restore a ticket selling service to its customers and protect its business and reputation during a key selling week in the year.
Frustratingly for theatre staff, Worldpay could not advise how long it would take to restore the service but indicated it would be several days. As a result, Lighthouse turned to its box office system partner Spektrix and set up a new payment system in only four days, going live before Worldpay restored its service.
The theatre’s Chief Executive Elspeth McBain said: “This dreadful mistake meant that in the middle of a busy period Lighthouse was unable to trade, presenting a substantial risk to our business.
“Fortunately, our brilliant team coped magnificently, reacting with characteristic calm and professionalism to establish a temporary PayPal facility that enabled us to continue selling tickets on all shows, and maintaining effective communications to customers as well as our promoters and artists.
“But I cannot understand how Worldpay was able to cut off a charity from its income with no warning, explanation, or information on how it might reactivate its account. Our client manager was on a day off and we were denied any communication with the compliance department that ordered the deactivation of our account.
“Even when Worldpay realised and admitted the mistake it took a weekend and another working day before the service was restored. In the meantime, we had worked with our ticketing software provider Spektrix who were brilliant in integrating a new payments service very swiftly.”
Following this experience, Lighthouse is warning other businesses that use Worldpay to prepare a contingency plan in case of this risk occurring.
Elspeth said: “This happened, through no fault of ours, during a routine review, and judging by the responses received from other organisations to our social media posts this is not the only time. Organisations in all sectors need to be aware of this.
“With the help of other partners and our wonderful colleagues, Lighthouse has been able to limit the impact on our business and that of our promoters, but it has been a real shocker that any business can be put at such risk.”
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