Looking for a booking
Alex Middleton discovers that despite the internet revolution, when it comes to group reservations for shows and events, there’s still an emphasis on the personalised approach.
The internet and online booking facilities have drastically altered the process of individual ticket booking for theatres, concerts and other events. This revolution has, however, yet to affect the group market – where personal contact still offers particular benefits and often remains essential to secure the arrangements groups need.
Group organisers who regularly book tickets for the West End confirm that the current range of online booking sites simply can’t deal with their requirements, which are rather more complicated than those of the general public. Often, the option for booking more than a handful of tickets is simply not available on the web.
The industry’s own self-regulatory body, STAR (Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers) recommends that, for GTOs, personal contact by phone gives them the best possible service. It allows them to detail their full requirements such as disabled needs, and also to reserve large numbers of tickets without commitment; both things that are not generally possible online.
Furthermore, even when full details of group offers are available online (which they frequently aren’t!), websites are not always easy to navigate and trying to access this information can prove to be frustrating and time consuming. Again, STAR recommends that for GTOs, a telephone call will connect them to someone who has all the relevant information to hand, saving time and effort, as well as eliminating the possibility of overlooking an attractive offer. As well as making the process simpler, dealing directly with a contact offers the possibility of building a lasting ‘business relationship’, that may lead to you being offered future discounts and rewards.
Once you have a show in mind for your group, STAR recommends that the best place to start looking for tickets is generally the theatre, venue or their recommended agent. After that, there are numerous other companies to check out who may also be supplying tickets, and whose prices or services may be preferable. You may also wish to ask an agent to try to re-negotiate group prices for you with a show’s producers. Not all agents will be happy to do this but, if they are, it may mean a considerable saving!
We check out some of the major ticketing agents and theatre companies whose facilities and offers make them a good place to start looking for the best group deal.
The main players
Group Line has proven to be consistently popular with groups since it was founded in 1991. All of its shows and group offers are available online, but booking must be completed over the phone. The company releases its comprehensive Group Line Brochure for GTOs three times a year. This is complemented by its Theatreview newsletter, which it releases six times a year, to give regular updates on changes to its programme and new theatre ticket offers for groups. The company’s special facilities for groups include a dedicated Account Executive, giving GTOs one specific contact to deal with, and a ‘book now, pay later’ system, which allows tickets to be held whilst you confirm final numbers, which is now available online. Booking fees are generally waived for groups, where there is a group discount available. The company can also book backstage tours of several London theatres.
Also based in the capital, the ticketing company See makes details of all its shows available online, but for group offers it is best to phone its dedicated groups booking team, See Groups. The company’s Groups Guide, which is released three times a year, contains information on all its group offers. It will also hold tickets for up to a month and offers a ‘package service’, where it will arrange group accommodation and restaurant reservations.
Another London-based ticket agency, Encore, also features a dedicated groups section on its website, which gives full details of group rates; however all bookings must still be finalised by direct contact with its groups department, Encore Advance, by phone. Its groups brochure, InAdvance, is released four times a year and is also available on the net. This rounds up all the group offers the company has on offer. Additionally, GTOs can reserve tickets for up to a month without commitment. Offline, it offers GTOs a permanent contact in the groups department and, as an extra incentive, the company gives GTOs free membership to its loyalty club, where points are awarded for every £10 spent, which can be redeemed against flights, hotel rooms and theatre tickets.
Also selling tickets for events, performances and attractions around the UK, which we will cover further on, Ticketmaster offers a wide range of group discounts on West End shows, all of which can be seen on its website. Again, final arrangements must be made over the phone. For details of all its shows and group discounts, the company produces the monthly Ticketmaster Groups Guide. GTOs are also able to hold tickets for up to a month without commitment. GTOs who book regularly with the company may be able to set up a personal account, allowing them access to more discounts and a dedicated account handler.
The Manchester-based agency, Ticketline, has now been supplying tickets for various events and performances around the UK for over 36 years. Details of group offers are not displayed online, but GTOs can request a quote for a group booking from its website. However, you must make final arrangements by telephone. It offers GTOs a dedicated group booking executive to deal with your account, as well as group discounts on selected performances. Groups can also receive discounts on its ‘dinner and show’ packages, that feature dinner reservations at a London restaurant and tickets to a West End show.
The ticketing agent, Applause, also offers group deals on many West End shows. The company’s website displays shows on which group discounts are available, but for further details and to make payment GTOs must telephone of West End productions. Although any number of tickets can be booked online, group discounts can only be discussed with its groups team over the phone or in person at its Camden office. Although the company does charge a booking fee of between 10 and 15 percent, it is happy to approach producers to try to negotiate a reduction in prices.
Another well established ticketing agency, Albemarle of London, also offers group discounts on many West End shows. However, information about group rates is only available on request and transactions for group bookings must be undertaken by phone.
Based in the West End, the Ambassador Theatre Group operates over 20 theatres, including the Duke of York’s and Piccadilly Theatres and acts as a ticketing agent for them and most other West End shows. Details of what’s on at each theatre is available online, but GTOs will have to telephone its groups booking team for information on the discounts available. Details of all the group discounts it offers can be found in the company’s quarterly groups brochure. The company also offers groups ‘dinner and a show’ package deals, featuring dinner and show tickets.
Also marketing both its own and most other West End productions, Delfont Mackintosh has details of all its shows and group discounts available online. Nonetheless, final arrangements must be made over the telephone. The company runs seven theatres in the West End and features a dedicated group bookings department. There is also a quarterly newsletter, detailing all of the company’s group specific information and tickets can be held without commitment for up to a month. Group packages, consisting of lunch or dinner with a show, are also offered as well as.tours of various West End theatres.
Another company that aims to offer tickets for its own productions direct to the public, Disney Theatrical Groups (UK) was established in 2002. The company is responsible for selling tickets to all Disney shows in the West End and regularly offers group discounts, details of which are available on its website. As with the other agents, group bookings must be made over the telephone.
Lastly, the London-based Metta Theatre is a small production company that also sells tickets for its own shows directly to groups. However, details are not available online and all transactions must be undertaken by phone. Being the producer, there is no booking fee and discounts are negotiable on all its shows for groups over 10.
The UK and abroad
As well as providing tickets to West End shows, many ticketing agents will also book groups tickets for other attractions in the capital, as well as for regional and overseas attractions and events.
Group Line offers group rates on tickets to Madame Tussauds, London Zoo, the BA London Eye and Windsor Castle, amongst others. The company also offers group rates on tickets to exhibitions, such as the current Tutankhamun Exhibition at the O2 in London. Details of all these attractions and exhibitions are given in the Group Line Brochure and Theatreview newsletter. However, its online facility, whilst displaying details of the attractions you can visit, does not give information on group discounts.
See also markets tickets to groups for a variety of other London attractions, such as the BA London Eye, as well as UK-wide events and venues. Full details are available from the group booking department, See Groups. Again, for details of group rates and to purchase tickets GTOs will have to call the group bookings team.
Also offering group discounts to London sights such as the Tower of London and Kensington Palace, Encore Tickets additionally offers group dining packages at several London restaurants. Its website does not give full details of these and further information should be requested from the groups department. As with the procedure for finalising arrangements for West End shows, bookings can only be concluded over the phone.
As well as West End shows, Ticketline offers GTOs discounts on numerous other performances around the UK and across Europe. However, group bookings for these will require a telephone call to the groups department, as this facility is not available online.
Also offering group bookings to London attractions and events, including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Applause features details of these group rates online. Details are also available in its groups brochure and tickets can be booked from the group bookings department, but not online. The company’s group bookings team can also book sightseeing tours of several foreign cities, as well as make group bookings for tickets to many of their top attractions. These cities include Paris, Prague, New York and Amsterdam. Details are not available online, but further information can be requested from the group bookings department or viewed in the company’s brochure.
With theatres based around the UK, the Ambassador Theatre Group offers a wide range of group discounts for its regional shows. Although tickets to these theatres are generally booked through the individual venues, rather than through the company’s London-based groups booking team, most of its regional theatres have their own independent groups booking departments, offering similar facilities to those in London.
Based in Birmingham, the NEC Group markets tickets for shows at its three Birmingham venues; the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), the National Indoor Arena (NIA), and the NEC Arena, and also acts as a ticketing agent for productions at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. Information about group bookings is only available upon request from the group bookings team or in its monthly newsletter, Grouptalk. However, the company says it is currently working towards offering group booking facilities online. Amongst the many events for which it offers group bookings is Crufts, held at the NEC each March.
Basingstoke-based, Allo France offers a similar facility for groups looking to visit Paris. Details of group rates have to be requested as they are not available online. The company specialises in booking large numbers of tickets to venues such as the Moulin Rouge and museums including the Louvre, and for sightseeing tours of Paris. In the near future, the company is planning to offer an online facility for downloading tickets directly from its website.
Into the future
Although none of the group booking companies yet offers the opportunity to complete all transactions online, it may not be long before bookings will be fully automated. As James Page, founder of one of the UK’s first online travel agencies, points out, “whereas humans are flexible, computers are precise and rigid and currently impractical for handling purchases that involve many variables. However, as the internet evolves, it will not be long before someone will be able to adapt online booking systems to offer a more ‘human’ service.”