Lighthouse Poole survived a “substantial” threat to its business last week after its payment services provider withdrew its facility without warning or explanation – in error.
The multi-venue arts centre – one of the UK’s largest outside London – sells more than 200,000 tickets a year through Worldpay, but was suddenly left without any means to take payments for tickets last Thursday (7 November) when the global banking company switched off its services, without any communication with the venue’s managers.
With thousands of people booked to attend concerts by Gareth Malone and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, as well as performances of Séan Aydon’s acclaimed new production of Frankenstein and several cinema 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, Worldpay could not advise how long it would take them to restore the service, but indicated it would be several days. As a result, Lighthouse turned to its box office system partner Spektrix, and a new payment system was set up in only four days, going live before Worldpay restored its service.
“This dreadful mistake meant that in the middle of a busy period Lighthouse was unable to trade, presenting a substantial risk to our business,” says Chief Executive Elspeth McBain.
“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.”
In the light of the experience, Lighthouse is warning Worldpay clients that such eventualities should be included in their risk register.
“This happened, through no fault of ours, during a routine review,” adds Elspeth, “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.”
(NC)