An engaged couple whose wedding was cancelled as a result of Covid-19 look set to lose out on more than just their big day after the venue refused to pay back £7,400 or reschedule the ceremony.
Kerry Drysdale, 24, and fiancé Ryan Mulhearn, 34, booked their wedding in Taypark House on Perth Road two years ago ahead of what should have been the happiest day of their lives on May 2.
But they could never have known what would happen just weeks before their big day, with Covid-19 throwing every major gathering the world over into disarray.
Now, Kerry and Ryan face the unenviable task of attempting to reschedule – but they won’t be able to do so at their preferred venue after the owner said the hotel was not in a position to reschedule any weddings.
Richie Hawkins, owner of Taypark House, also revealed the couple would not receive any of their money back after the Covid-19 outbreak meant his business was not in the “financial position” to refund or reschedule any weddings.
Kerry, who stays in Kirkton, said: “We have paid the hotel over £7,000 towards our wedding.
“Even if the lockdown is over by the time the wedding comes, which is completely unknown and probably unlikely, it’s not going to be possible to pull the wedding together in that time.
“Family members are unlikely to be able to travel here, other arrangements have fallen through and everything is up in the air.
“The hotel have told us they can’t reschedule and they won’t give us our money back.
“They have told us that the money we gave them has been used for other things in the meantime, including doing the garden, and they don’t have the resources to pay us back.
“We offered to postpone our wedding by up to two years but all they can offer us is a new package that will cost us several thousand pounds more.”
Kerry revealed in the most recent email between the two parties, the hotel still expected the wedding to go ahead – something Kerry admits is now impossible.
Mr Hawkins, while admitting he had “every sympathy” for Kerry and Ryan, said: “Regrettably Taypark House is not in the position to reschedule weddings. As it stands there is no clear vision regarding when the severity of this pandemic will minimise enough for weddings to safely continue.
“Therefore, we must consider the possibility that all of our scheduled weddings in 2020 would wish to postpone.
“We must work to ensure the building is not only wind and water tight but we need to develop the gardens.
“All of these are actions which cannot be delayed during this pandemic, as such we are not in the financial position to refund or reschedule weddings, as we simply do not have the means to do so.”
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