Jerac @ 4:59 pm, June 9th 2009:

My family are another of Vince's victims. In July 2008 we paid Go Upmarket Ltd £4000 as deposit for our daughter's wedding reception at Bylaugh. The contract was very specific - the entrance, the atrium and rooms in the old hall. We visited Bylaugh three days after the repossession and were shown the rooms (which they no longer owned), and were told that the caravan outside was 'security for the building works'. No mention of any problems. A week later we got a short email saying that the event had been relocated to The Orangery. A location already rejected as unsuitable. Does Mr Vince have so little regard for the importance of a wedding reception that he thinks he can move the event about as if it were just a business conference? It was clear that Go Upmarket could not fulfill the contract, and in view of the way we had been dealt with we had doubts as to whether they could provide any level of service, so we cancelled and demanded a refund. This was ignored as was a County Court Judgement we obtained. We now find that Go Upmarket Ltd has simply ceased trading, and the facilities of Bylaugh Hall are being marketed through another Vince company, Tenaxus Ltd. Will Tenaxus Ltd go the same way, and is that what happened to a previous company, Pleasaunce Ltd? An indication of Mr Vince's conduct in business matters is given by his disqualification from acting as a Director, imposed in November 2008 for a period of three years for misconduct revealed when Bylaugh Estates Ltd was put into compulsory liquidation. So having lost £4000 we were faced with reorganising a reception for 150+ people at very short notice. We were fortunate to find The Sussex Barn at Burnham Market. The owner was friendly, helpful, and honest. Despite the trauma caused by Bylaugh (and there was a very great deal of distress and upset), the wedding went well and the reception was a great success. The way that young couples have been treated is disgusting and dishonourable. Hopefully the current publicity will prevent any more falling victim.