The trustees of charity Ramsgate Arts Festival Ltd have won their legal case over the no-show of Ramsgate’s 300ft water slide in 2017.
The charity brought civil proceedings against Adam Faulkner, the owner and operator of inflatables company Bloon. The charity commissioned the manufacture and operation of a 300ft water slide for that 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. 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.
The charity has now won its case against Mr Barclay-Faulkner and hopes to recoup some of the lost costs.
‘Rogue trader’
A spokesperson for the charity said: “We are proud to announce, following the dismay of the Ramsgate Slide in 2017, that the charity has been awarded its case against Adam Barclay-Faulkner of Bloon, the person responsible for making and installing the slide.
“Mr Faulkner did not contest the case as it was obvious to Ramsgate Arts that the equipment was not made and the charity was the subject of a rogue trader. The charity hopes it may receive some of the lost costs.”
Changes to the charity
The charity, which launched in August 2009 , has also undergone a change and has decided to hand over the baton from boss Suzy Humphries to producer Andrew Gibson and his new organisation the Ramsgate Festival of Sound CIC.
Starting as A Summer Squall in 2010, changing its name to the Ramsgate Festival in 2015 and for the last two years becoming the Ramsgate Festival of Sound, the event has become a highlight in the town’s calendar, supported by Ramsgate Town Council, Arts Council England and Thanet District Council, with the help of many other businesses and individual donors.
Andrew was employed by Ramsgate Arts as festival producer for three years and he brought the concept of a Festival of Sound to the charity.
Andrew will be working jointly with Gemma Dempsey, who has been a key member of the festival team since 2018.
Andrew said: “We are proud and excited to continue the tradition of Ramsgate’s summer arts festival. This year’s event will be full of world class talent with a week-long programme of performances, talks, workshops and screenings.
“An open call will be made in February inviting artists to submit works to take part in our Sonic Trail which is bringing visitors from all over the world to our town. “
Find updates at www.ramsgatefestival.org
