HELP! Where do I stand if hotel changes reception venue?

Jaxx97

We have our wedding booked for June this year. The hotel we have booked are currently refurbishing their main function room and offered a marquee on the lawn as an alternative. The marquee held a wedding fair in May 2011, and we were informed that they would have the marquee avaliable from March 2012 to Sept 2012. I really liked the marquee on the lawn and after seeing it we booked our wedding at this hotel with the evening reception to be held in the marquee.
Today we were called by the hotel to inform us that they have been refused permission for this marquee and that all renovation is on hold and that we can have the function room. I am really not happy as I was looking forward to an evening reception spilling out onto the lawn on a warm summer evening! The function room is dated with dark green swag curtains and patterned carpet that do not fit into my image of my wedding venue.
We have a meeting with the wedding planner at the end of the week, and I wondered if anyone has any advice as to where we stand as they are changing our contract?

floss2

Speak to your local Council - find out if they have actually been refused and why (noise?).

Then armed with that knowledge, contact your Trading Standards team BEFORE you meet with the venue.

It may be a financial issue in relation with the cost of the renovations, or it may be a genuine refusal, but either way, it's a variation of your contract.

What happens will depend on whether it is an actual refusal of permission or not: it is out of their control, although you could argue that they shouldn't have offered something that they cannot actually provide.

Brightside

if you go on the planning dept pages for your council website you should be able to find the application on there, with the decision made regarding the application, and why that decision was made.

Many planners will not speak to you about a particular case, unless you have all the relevant reference numbers, which you should be able to get off the website.

Jaxx97

Thank you for your advice. I have checked the council website but couldn't find any planning requests relating to the marquee. I have emailed the planning team to ask them for any info they have. I will definitely speak to trading standards.
Thanks!

System

You need to find out who refused them permission. It could be the Fire Service or even the parent company if they have one.

RainbowDrops

Does your contract have any clauses about the venue changing?

bubbles0169

can you ask(before the weekend) the venue why its been refused permission then go from there?

LEJC

So are you saying you booked your venue on the strength of your wedding taking place during a refurbishment of the main function room and being temporally housed in the marquee instead?

If thats the case then I would assume that one of the reasons that your being moved back to the function room which is where they usually hold weddings,may be that they either havent managed to get planning permission on the renovation or that they simply now dont have the funds to do it...

I would talk to your co ordinator but its unlikely that they will be able to erect the marquee just for your wedding as it was probably only being sighted there whilst the renovations were taking place,which if they are not happening now,the marquee is not needed....
Perhaps the best way to approach your discussions is along the lines that you booked the wedding on the bases that either the function room would look lovely after renovations or you would have the space of the marquee,and you feel a little let down that you are now being asked to hold your reception in a room which is very tired and dated...perhaps they could offer you a discount or advise you how they plan to enhance the room for your wedding?
Best of luck...I hope you reach a happy compromise...

Jaxx97

Yes, the main function room they use for weddings is very dated & I didn't like it. That is a good point about the hotel not being able to afford the renovations, something to consider. I think the main thing I need to do is to find out why it was refused if it was even applied for and go from there.

Everyone has been so helpful, thank you. I felt so angry that I didn't know what to do, now I feel more confident in what I need to do!