Legal action is being taken by the Trustees of charity Ramsgate Arts Festival Ltd after last Summer’s no-show of Ramsgate’s 300ft waterslide.
The charity is bringing civil proceedings against Adam Faulkner, the owner and operator of inflatables company Bloon. The charity commissioned the manufacture and operation of a Ramsgate Slide for last year’s Ramsgate Festival.
More than 5,000 people entered the ballot to be able to have a go on the slide which was due to be installed down Royal Parade on July 30.
Some 180 people, including more than 40 children, had won places for the attraction.
But the slide was not delivered after a disagreement over payment. Ramsgate Festival had paid 50% up front and expected to pay the rest on delivery but supplier Bloon said they wanted full payment before it was delivered.
Organisers said at the time they “had been left reeling” by the failure to deliver the attraction and revealed they were only notified that it would not be delivered the night before it was due to arrive.
A Ramsgate Arts Festival spokesman said: “Despite best efforts of the charity, the manufacturer did not produce the goods and let down the organisation, the Ramsgate Festival and the 5,000-plus people who had entered the free ballot to ride the Slide down Ramsgate’s iconic seafront. The charity is indebted to local firm Kent Criminal Law for their support in this matter.”
Bloon MD Adam Faulkner said at the time: “Our terms and conditions clearly state that all items must be paid for in full prior to delivery. Ramsgate Festival failed to adhere to this and therefore we are not in a position to deliver the product.”
Festival organisers disputed that this had been the agreement.
