Lock and LOL go out of business

Lock and LOL graphicThis morning, this site has received three separate reports that people have received the following e-mail:

Dear Sir/Madam!

We are very sorry to inform you, that due to unforeseeable events, Lock and Lol went out of business, and we must cancel all bookings.

Please accept our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience.

The Lock and Lol Team

This is the worst news that this site has yet received since it opened 7½ months ago. Supporting this, the Lock and LOL web site has been taken offline as has the page at the booking service they were using. The proprietor has been contacted for comment but has not immediately replied. Edited to add: The proprietor has confirmed this in a Facebook message to this site. Lock and LOL’s pin has been removed from this site’s map.

Jason points out this item from the Wowcher FAQ:

Q: What if the merchant for my wowcher closes down?
A: If the merchant closes down and your wowcher has not expired, we’ll refund your money.

Accordingly, if you bought a Wowcher to play the room, you may be able to get Wowcher to refund your money, as they say.

If you bought a Wowcher to play the room but had not yet redeemed it then, subject to confirmation, you may be able to redeem it for Wowcher Wallet Credit instead.

If you paid for a game on a credit card, rather than a debit card, and spent more than £100 (unlikely, but not impossible – perhaps you paid full price, perhaps you bought more than one voucher?) then your credit card company may be jointly responsible under Section 75 laws. A page at Money Saving Expert describes the process.

If you paid for a game on either a credit card or a debit card, even if you spent less than £100, you may be able to apply for a refund via the chargeback procedure. Again, a different page at Money Saving Expert describes the process. Do note that banks do not have a legal responsibility to provide refunds here, but it might still be a possibility.

Other than that, the Citizens Advice Bureau have advice as to how to proceed and whether you might still be able to get redress. Feel free to use the comment box below to discuss the progress of any attempts you make to get a refund. If this site gets any further news, be sure that it will report it. (Did anybody get to play the game before it closed? Was it good?)

While nothing lasts forever, the first game to fold so dirtily makes today a grim day and one that deals collateral damage to the reputation of every exit game.