CONCERT goers have been warned not to buy tickets from unofficial sellers if you're looking to avoid disappointment.

Even Taunton's Live in Somerset events have fallen victim to third party sellers trying to profit off potential event goers.

This year's concerts, which include Madness and Tom Jones, are already close to selling out ahead of the events in July, leaving some fans disappointed.

But their disappointment has grown into anger after finding tickets to the sold-out seated area on third party sites such as Viagogo for around three-times the original price.

Karen Frier, of Stoke St Mary, was hoping to take her 85-year-old mother to the Tom Jones concert.

But to her frustration, tickets for the sought-after seated area sold out quickly.


READ MORE: Tom Jones announces huge show in Taunton


Her hope was reignited after finding tickets for the event elsewhere online, until she saw the price tag.

Mrs Frier said: "My mother has always been a Tom Jones fan. She would love to see him, and this could be one of her last opportunities to do so.

"I'd only be able to go if I was in a seated section due to mobility struggles, and she agreed she wanted the same.

"We called to get tickets when they were released but it seemed within ten minutes they were gone.

"Then later that day, my step father called to say he'd found some more tickets on a site called Viagogo, but more expensive.

"These third parties charge a fortune. Why should they get all the profits?

"These events are for local people.

"I would happily pay more for the ticket, but only to the concert organisers."

The tickets, which would normally cost around £60 for the seated area, including booking fees, are being listed on Viagogo for as much as £199 per ticket, while standard £45 tickets are being flogged for around £70.

Mrs Frier added: "There are methods to prevent this from happening, the 'are you a robot' type checks.

"I went to London to see Hamilton in the summer, and you were never sent tickets, you collected them on the day with your payment details.

"My mother is disappointed.

"The organisers need to bear all this in mind for future events."

Somerset County Gazette:
FRUSTRATION: Karen Freir

But the event organisers say monitoring who buys the tickets is trickier than you'd think, and without proper enforced regulation from government, there's 'little' which can be done.

Les Kidger, director of LCC Live, the concert organisers, said: “We are extremely disappointed that a small number of tickets to our ‘Live in Somerset’ shows are being sold at inflated prices on unregulated sites.

“Unfortunately, at present, there is no legal way to prevent this deplorable activity and we urge ticket buyers to purchase only from authorised ticket agencies. Until there is government regulation enforced there is little we can do to prevent this.

"There's hundreds of seats in the seating area, unfortunately these things sell out and once they are gone they're gone, but people can keep an eye out for cancelled tickets on the official agencies. It proves just how popular these events are.

"We do check the bookings and try to ensure there are no multiples.

"Standard tickets are available for all three ‘Live in Somerset’ shows however, there are now very limited tickets numbers for Madness and Tom Jones. We would ask all concert goers to go to lcclive.co.uk for information on authorised ticket agencies and purchase directly from them.”

Anyone can list an item for any event on Viagogo without proving you actually own said ticket.

A spokesman for Viagogo said tickets listed at ‘silly’ prices are unlikely to get sold.

He added: “Viagogo does not set ticket prices, sellers set their own prices, which may be above or below the original face value. Where demand is high and tickets are limited, prices increase. The reality is that any tickets listed at silly prices rarely if ever sell. 

“We continue to work closely with regulators.”

But, while Viagogo does offer a guarantee for people purchasing tickets on its site, meaning you’ll get a new ticket for the same price or a refund, there’s no guarantee you won’t be disappointed.