Ticket refunds pending for The Drop

THOUSANDS of ticket holders for last year’s COVID-cancelled The Drop Festival Torquay look set to either claim a refund or transfer their pass to a show in 2022.

Almost 15 months after Torquay’s April 11 festival was called off due to pandemic restrictions, organisers have finally received the insurance news they have been waiting for.

Ticketholders received confirmation that The Drop organisers have won a tribunal case over their cancellation insurance claim and expect to settle “in coming weeks”.

The Drop Team has also announced that the tribunal decision will allow Drop festival events to go ahead again in 2022.

“We will be making further announcements regarding the tour dates and artist line-ups in the coming months,” the email to ticket holders said.

“Also at that time we will be able to advise upon how you can roll over your tickets to those shows in 2022 or obtain a refund.”

The Drop Festival, which follows the Australian leg of the World Surf League Championship and other major surfing events, had played Noosa and Newcastle before the COVID lockdown was announced on March 13 forcing the cancellation of Manley on March 14, Coolangatta on March 28, Torquay on April 11 and Busselton on April 25.

The Drop Team explained at the time of cancellation that they had already covered pre-event costs for all events, and until the insurance claim was resolved they were unable to refund tickets.

The insurance settlement delay had also left a shadow hanging over the future of the national festival tour until this week’s announcement.