The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) is the self-regulatory body for ticket agents and retailers involved in the entertainment industry in the United Kingdom. STAR includes ticket agencies, venues, box offices, and members in connected industries such as travel.
Code of practice The code of practice covers all aspects of ticket retailing however it can be summarised in five main tenets: STAR Code of Practice Provide clear pricing information for tickets in line with the requirements of the STAR Code. Handle bookings politely and courteously, giving the highest standards of professional service. Refund at least the face value of the ticket if an event is cancelled and the event organiser enables and authorises refunds. Highlight any terms and conditions, including transferability, cancellation and viewing restrictions. To provide an Alternative Dispute Resolution service for customers who have bought from STAR members.
The STAR Administration
The administration of STAR is operated by a Council, which is elected by STAR members, and led by a Chairperson. Day-to-day operations are managed and carried out by STAR’s Chief Executive and External Relations professionals, who ensure the operation of the Code of Practice, handle all dispute resolution inquiries as well as provide information and advice around best practices for safe ticket buying. STAR is funded by annual contributions from its membership.
Breach of the Code of Practice
If a member breaches the Code of Practice, a sub-committee examines the breach and disciplines the member if necessary and depending on the seriousness of the infringement. The most serious cases could lead to expulsion from the STAR membership.
The sub-committee includes members of the STAR Council, independent professionals and the Chair. Anyone with a business interest in the case at hand is not eligible to vote on anything related to that case.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) works to help resolve disputes between its members and ticket buyers and is approved by Government under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015. The competent authority for this approval and that audits STAR’s ADR service is the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. ADR is available for customers who have an unresolved problem following their purchase from a STAR member.
A dispute resolution request can be submitted by either a customer or by a STAR member. Conciliation then takes place through the STAR office in an effort to reach a satisfactory resolution.
OFT report In June 2004 the Office of Fair Trading announced it would be carrying out a fact-finding study into ticket agents for entertainment and sporting events in the UK. The report was published in January 2005 and whilst it concluded that "most consumers were happy with their last ticket purchase" it did recommend that "the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers produce model terms for its members to use in their consumer contacts". OFT Tickets Agents Market Study 26 January 2005 STAR subsequently published model terms in July 2009.
Full Members of S.T.A.R. Source: ACC Liverpool Adelphi Theatre AKA Albemarle of London Ltd Aldwych Theatre The Alexandra, Birmingham (ATG) Almeida Theatre alt-tickets (DHP Family Ltd) The Ambassadors Theatre Apollo Theatre Apollo Victoria Theatre Arena Birmingham Arts Club Liverpool ATG Entertainment Audience View AXS Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Beautiful Tickets Beck Theatre Best of Theatre (London Box Office) Big Green Coach Planet Festival Booking Protect Ltd Box Office Bridge Theatre Brighton Centre Bristol Hippodrome Bristol Old Vic Cambridge Theatre Cameron Mackintosh Limited Cardiff International Arena CheapTheatreTickets.com Chichester Festival Theatre Churchill Theatre Covent Garden Box Office Criterion Theatre Delfont Mackintosh Theatres DICE Dominion Theatre Donmar Warehouse Duchess Theatre Duke of York's Theatre Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Edinburgh Playhouse Encore Tickets Ltd English National Opera Eventim UK Family Tickets Ltd Fever Fortune Theatre fromtheboxoffice.com G Live Garrick Theatre Gielgud Theatre Gigantic Tickets Limited Gigs and Tours Grand Opera House, York Grand Theatre, Leeds Group Line (part of ATG) Harold Pinter Theatre His Majesty's Theatre, London HQ Theatres Ltd Hyde Park Picture House JM Marketing Limited Kaboodle Solutions Ltd Kilimanjaro Live King's Theatre, Glasgow KX Tickets Leas Cliff Hall Leeds City Varieties Leicester Square Box Office Line Up Live Nation Entertainment Liverpool Empire Theatre London Box Office (Best of Theatre) London Coliseum London Palladium London Theatre London Theatre Direct lovetheatre.com (part of The Ticket Machine Group) LW Entertainment Lyceum Theatre, London Lyceum Theatre, Crewe Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) Lyric Theatre, London Mamma Mia! The Party Manchester Opera House M&S Bank Arena Merlinsoft Ltd Milton Keynes Theatre Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Motorsport Tickets Music Plus Sport Limited National Arenas Association New London Theatre New Theatre Oxford (ATG) New Theatre Royal Lincoln New Victoria Theatre (ATG) New Wimbledon Theatre (ATG) Nimax Theatres Noel Coward Theatre Novello Theatre Nuffield Southampton Theatres O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Leicester O2 Academy Bristol O2 Academy Glasgow O2 Academy Islington O2 Academy Liverpool O2 Academy Newcastle O2 Academy Oxford O2 Academy Sheffield O2 Academy Leeds O2 Academy Bournemouth O2 Academy Brixton O2 Apollo Manchester O2 Forum Kentish Town O2 Guildhall Southampton O2 Institute Birmingham O2 Ritz Manchester O2 Shepherds Bush Empire O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester Official London Theatre Opera North Orchard Theatre, Dartford Oxford Playhouse OVO Arena Wembley OVO Hydro Palace Theatre, Manchester Phoenix Theatre, London Piccadilly Theatre Playhouse Theatre Prince Edward Theatre Prince of Wales Theatre Princess Theatre Quaytickets Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch Red61 Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent Resorts World Arena Richmond Theatre (London) Royal Albert Hall Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Royal National Theatre Royal Opera House Royal Shakespeare Company Sadler's Wells Theatre Santa Pod Raceway Savoy Theatre Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre SeatGeek Seat Plan See Tickets Shaftesbury Theatre Sheffield Arena Sheffield City Hall Shows in London SIV SJM Concerts Ltd Society of London Theatre Sound Travel Group Ltd Southend Theatres Spektrix Ltd Squire Patton Boggs UK LLP St Martin's Theatre Stephen Joseph Theatre Stockton Globe Sunderland Empire Tessitura Network The Football Association The Lowry The Old Vic The Rugby Football Union The Ticket Factory The Ticket Store Theatre Royal, Brighton Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Theatre Royal, Glasgow Theatrebookings.com (part of Leicester Square Box Office) Theatre Tickets Direct Ltd (see also www.uktheatretickets.co.uk) Theatreland Ltd theatremonkey.com theatretickets.london Ticket Quarter Ticket Text Limited TicketCo UK Ltd Ticketek UK Ltd Ticketing Business Forum Ticketing Professionals Conference Ticketline Ticketmaster Sport Ticketmaster UK Ltd TicketPlan Limited Tickets Scotland TicketSource Ticketswap UK Ltd TicketWeb (UK) Ltd Tix Ticketing Tixel UK Ltd Tixtrack TKTS TodayTix Ltd Tungate Group Twickenham Stadium Twickets TYG Limited UK Theatre Universe Vaudeville Theatre Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent Victoria Palace Theatre Vivaticket Ltd Walt Disney Theatrical UK Ltd Watford Palace Theatre WeGotTickets Wembley Stadium White Rock Theatre www.uktheatretickets.co.uk (see also Theatre Tickets Direct) Wycombe Swan Wyndham's Theatre Wyvern Theatre and Swindon Arts Centre York Theatre Royal
Ticket Fraud Awareness
STAR has collaborated with Action Fraud, the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre (part of the City of London Police) to raise awareness around ticket fraud and provide best practices for customers to buy event tickets safely and with confidence.
The most recent campaign was carried out in April 2022, encouraging consumers to purchase their tickets from STAR members to ensure they are buying from a legitimate source.
STAR is actively promoting safe ticket buying and provides advice on its website to prevent consumers from becoming victims of ticket fraud.
Additionally, an independent review of consumer protection measures in ticketing was published by the UK Government in May 2016. This review took place as a requirement of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and was conducted by Michael Waterson, an economics professor at Warwick University.
References
External links The STAR website Theatremonkey guide to STAR members Questions for consumers to consider when buying tickets by the Office of Fair Trading STAR Model Terms and Conditions Chartered Trading Standards Institute - ADR Approved Bodies Action Fraud - Ticket Fraud Awareness Campaign 2022 Action Fraud - Ticket Fraud Awareness Campaign 2019 Action Fraud - Ticket Fraud Awareness STAR's safe ticket buying advice Inquiry into the Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS Sectors by STAR