Glastonbury Glamping Disaster: Yurtel Enters Liquidation, Leaving Customers Out of Pocket
A significant number of Glastonbury festival-goers who paid thousands of pounds for luxury glamping packages have been left reeling after the company responsible, Yurtel, entered liquidation. According to an email sent to affected customers, seen by The Guardian, Yurtel will be unable to fulfil its future obligations, leaving customers facing significant financial losses.
The luxury glamping packages, which started at £10,000 per head and went as high as £16,500, promised a high-end festival experience, complete with yurt accommodation, alfresco dining, hot tubs, a cocktail bar, and warm private showers. Customers were also promised an on-site chauffeur to transport them to the main festival area via golf buggy. However, in a devastating turn of events, Yurtel has informed customers that it will not be able to provide the services they paid for.
Furthermore, customers have been told that the tickets they thought they had booked as part of the packages had not actually been purchased. Yurtel has advised customers that they will need to go through a third-party process to claim back their money once the liquidation process has begun. However, it is unclear how much, if any, of their money customers will be able to recover.
The news has left many customers feeling frustrated and disappointed, particularly as the festival is just over a month away. Tickets for the festival sold out in 19 minutes during the final resale event last month, making it highly unlikely that customers will be able to secure alternative accommodation and tickets.
Glastonbury organisers have issued a statement saying that they "appreciate how disappointing this is" for those affected, but that they had "no involvement with the operation of Yurtel" and cannot reimburse customers. "Anyone who has paid Yurtel for a package including Glastonbury 2025 tickets will need to pursue any potential recompense available from them via the liquidation process as outlined in their communication to you," the statement read.
As reported by The Guardian, Yurtel’s liquidation has left many customers feeling let down. The company, based in Corsham, Wiltshire, was founded in 2005 by Mickey Luke, who owns and runs specialist events companies Riot and Audience. However, Luke declined to comment on the situation.
In an attempt to mitigate the damage, Glastonbury has advised Yurtel customers to email [email protected] with their and their party’s details to see if it can provide "alternative potential sources for those customers to purchase tickets and accommodation for this year’s festival". However, with headliners including Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo, and Loyle Carner, and the festival fast approaching, it remains to be seen whether customers will be able to find alternative solutions.
The Guardian has contacted Yurtel for comment, but its website is still operational, although the messaging feature on its contact page has been disabled, and its Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts have been deleted. As the situation continues to unfold, The Guardian will provide updates on any developments.
