The last-minute cancellation of Joe Marler’s appearance at Junkyard Market has left ticket holders frustrated months later over delayed refunds, while the 499 Club and venue face mounting criticism over event management and customer service.
Joe Marler was scheduled to appear at the Junkyard Market on Saturday, 15 March 2024, ahead of Judgement Day in the Six Nations rugby series, but the event was cancelled with short notice, causing disappointment among ticket holders. Marler, a former England rugby star with 95 caps, had been one of several well-known personalities booked for appearances at the venue, which hosts a series of events organised by the 499 Club. Following Marler’s cancelled event, the next planned appearance at Junkyard Market features football manager Harry Redknapp, with ticket prices reaching up to £150.
Tickets for Marler’s event had sold out on social media, with standard prices around £50. However, customers received cancellation notifications via email only hours before the scheduled event. Anthony Bowen, one attendee, expressed frustration after the cancellation disrupted what was meant to be his wife’s birthday present, stating, “I’m very annoyed with this situation – this was supposed to be my wife’s birthday present.” A further complication arose when it emerged that Marler had informed the organisers about his withdrawal from the event as early as January 2024, giving the organisers months to inform ticket holders. When questioned on social media about why he did not attend, Marler replied: “Check with the event organiser mate, I pulled out of the event back in January.”
The 499 Club, which organised the appearance, issued an apology for the late cancellation and acknowledged customer disappointment. A spokesman said, “We would like to apologise to any customers left disappointed by the 499 Club’s late cancellation of Joe Marler as a guest on Saturday, 15th March.” While the event took place at Junkyard Market, organisers clarified that the 499 Club operates as a separate company. The 499 Club hosts events throughout the year featuring well-known figures such as Harry Redknapp, Bradley Wiggins, and Ant Middleton, with many events being held at Junkyard Market or unspecified venues.
Despite promises from organisers, nearly two months after the cancellation, some customers had not received refunds. Bronte Hook, who was due to attend the event with a friend, voiced exasperation, saying, “It’s utterly ridiculous that they’ve been avoiding responsibility on this. It is getting rather farcical that we have not had our money back yet.” The 499 Club spokesperson acknowledged issues with refunds for a small number of customers, citing technical limitations on their payment platform, SumUp, that might have affected transactions older than 90 days. They added that manual refunds would be processed once affected individuals provide their bank details.
The cancellation and refund delays have resulted in a flood of negative reviews on TripAdvisor, with multiple one-star ratings posted following the cancelled event. There have also been claims on social media that negative reviews were previously removed from the venue’s profile. TripAdvisor confirmed that Junkyard Market requested an ownership change in March 2024, a process which involves removal of all photos and reviews linked to previous ownership. It remains unclear whether the request has been approved.
Among the reviews, Nicola expressed frustration with refund delays, stating, “We were advised several times that the refund would happen. I was sent a ‘remittance’ slip on the 17th April saying the refund had occurred, but it has still not appeared in my account.” At least nine separate reviews on TripAdvisor concern the cancellation of the Joe Marler event.
Junkyard Market has faced criticism in the past for safety and promotional issues. During the 2024 European Championship final screening, the venue experienced chaotic conditions with reports of dehydration and crowd crushes, leaving football fans “fearing for their safety”. Additionally, in November 2024, the venue drew criticism for advertising a festive jazz band concert using footage from German Christmas markets, which locals said misrepresented the event’s nature.
The Eastern Daily Press is reporting these developments related to the Joe Marler event at Junkyard Market, the involvement of the 499 Club, and the ongoing challenges faced by customers seeking refunds and the venue’s reputation for event management.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom–norfolk/junkyard-market-joe-marler/ – This Eventbrite page lists events at Junkyard Market, including the Joe Marler event scheduled for 15 March 2024, which was later cancelled.
- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom–brandon/junkyard-market-joe-marler/ – This Eventbrite page lists events at Junkyard Market in Brandon, including the Joe Marler event scheduled for 15 March 2024, which was later cancelled.
- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom–biggleswade/junkyard-market-joe-marler/ – This Eventbrite page lists events at Junkyard Market in Biggleswade, including the Joe Marler event scheduled for 15 March 2024, which was later cancelled.
- https://www.stereoboard.com/joe-marler-tickets – This page provides information on Joe Marler’s tour dates and tickets, including the Joe Marler Show scheduled for 17 February 2025 in Bristol and 4 March 2025 in Brighton.
- https://www.stereoboard.com/the-joe-marler-show-tickets?event=expired – This page lists expired events for The Joe Marler Show, including the UK tour in spring 2023, indicating that the event scheduled for 15 March 2024 at Junkyard Market was cancelled.
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/clyr4kz18dyo – This BBC Sport article reports on Joe Marler’s apology for his comments on the haka, providing context on his public statements and interactions with the media.
- https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/25120653.junkyard-market-norwich-fire-cancelled-event/?ref=rss – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative contains recent events, including cancellations and refunds issues in early 2024, indicating recent content. There is no evident recycling of older articles.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Direct quotes from individuals like Anthony Bowen and Bronte Hook could not be traced to earlier online sources, suggesting original use. However, Joe Marler’s quote might have been mentioned elsewhere, which reduced the score.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The Eastern Daily Press is a local, reputable news outlet, though not as widely recognized as national publications like the BBC or Financial Times.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about event cancellations and refund issues are plausible given the context of past criticisms against Junkyard Market. The narrative aligns with typical event management challenges.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be recent and contains plausible claims about event cancellations and refund issues. The use of direct quotes adds authenticity, although some quotes might have been mentioned elsewhere. The reliability of the source enhances the credibility of the narrative.
