Bad Debts Irish Pub Whelans Nadya Gaughran

Social Responsibility Note to All London Giging Musicians

This is a note to all musicians in London who intend to perform at Whelans. Most pubs as we know are fair to musicians but ever so often we find one that will short change us.  Sad to say this is one of them. Please ensure you take your money upfront when performing at Whelans. Please be aware of this Irish  pub chain operating in in Copenhagen Street London and run by a lady called Nadya Gaughran.  They will pay you half after you have performed. Their excuse would be you did not perform for the full three hours  non stop.

They booked a Gypsy Kings tribute band from 9.00pm - 12.00 am. I had given them the option of 3×30 minutes or 2×45 minutes but they did not choose either. I allowed for them to decide on the night. The band performed one and a half hours non stop as the owners did not want breaks. At the end of the night the client only paid half  (£450) the agreed fee of £900.00 for a five piece band.

She said there would be press there and we would get good publicity and wanted a bigger discount from our original price of £1200.00.

This was a last minute booking and she kept avoiding me about sending the contract back but assured me everything was in order and she was busy at the pub. When I called the day before the gig, her partner at the pub told me she had left her phone and gone out.

This is a classic example of a promoter pub owner who probably did not make their targeted income thus came up with an excuse about the band not performing non stop for 3 hours. 

She was extremely rude to me  and hung up the phone when I called her when the musicians had let me know that she did not want to pay up. When I called her number again, her partner said she had left the pub (he refused to give his name) he assured me he would call me back the next day and resolve the matter, of course that call has still not come from him or any other Whelan Pub Staff.

After 7 years of booking musicians, this was the first client that actually came up with this excuse.  Quiet original, I hope no other musicians or music agents are victims of this. Below is her email confirming the booking.

From: Accounts MFL <accounts@musicforlondon.co.uk>
To: nadya@mail.ie
Subject: Information Request - Gypsy Kings Tribute
Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 11:41:24 +0100
Hi Nadya,
It was good to speak to you earlier today. If you can kindly send me the information below, I can then send you an invoice and an agreement confirming the booking.
Kind Regards
Titus Raj
0207 993 8007
www.musicforlondon.co.uk
 
 
Hi Titus
 
Please find details below as requested
 
regards
 
Nadia

— accounts@musicforlondon.co.uk wrote:

From: Accounts MFL <accounts@musicforlondon.co.uk>
To: nadya@mail.ie
Subject: Information Request - Gypsy Kings Tribute
Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 11:41:24 +0100
Hi Nadya,
It was good to speak to you earlier today. If you can kindly send me the information below, I can then send you an invoice and an agreement confirming the booking.
Kind Regards
Titus Raj
0207 993 8007
www.musicforlondon.co.uk
 
 
Information Request
Client Name: Whelans
Client Mailing Address: 60 copenhagen street
Client Telephone: 020 7278 5781
Client Email: nadya@mail.ie
Performers Requested: gypsy kings
Event Type: opening party
Event Date: 23rd may
Performance Start Time: 9
Performance End Time: 12
Time to be set up by: 9
Venue: whelans
Venue Address and Post Code: 60 copenhagen street
Venue Contact: Nadia
Number of Guests: 200
Dress Code Requested: smart