Hatfield House slammed on TripAdvisor for Michael Bublé concert chaos

The Bublé concert, promoted by AEG Presents, saw traffic-related incidents both before and after the event, with people reporting waiting hours to get in and out of the site.

In a statement, Hatfield House confirmed they are working with AEG to find out what went wrong, but that didn’t stop those who were caught up in the bedlam taking to TripAdvisor to slam the venue.

In a scathing review, user Hallie87 wrote: “Hatfield House does not have the ability to safely stage a concert for 25,000 people.

“Nevertheless they took money from that many people and asked Michael Bublé to sing to us.

“To say it was greedy, short-sighted and incredibly dangerous, would be an understatement.

“You should be ashamed of the predicament you left us all in, to fend for ourselves and blindly locate a single-track road all at the same time, in an ill lit, barely signed and understaffed field.

“We left the show early - because we could see what was obviously going to happen later as soon as we arrived - and yet we still sat, blocked in from all angles as people lost their bloody minds not knowing how to escape.”

In another review, Mark W described the car park chaos as the worst he’d seen in ‘30 years of going to concerts’.

“Saw Michael Bublé tonight who was excellent,” he wrote.

“However, the parking situation at Hatfield House is the worst we have ever experienced in 30 years of going to concerts.

“Two hours to leave the venue and staff who had no idea what was going on. God forbid if there had been a medical emergency. I thought for a while a riot might ensue.

“Hatfield House is totally impractical for a gig of this size and whoever was responsible, promoter or venue, needs to address this serious problem.”

Marion Smith called the event organisation a ‘disaster waiting to happen’, writing: “Where do I start? There was a complete lack of signage for taxis to the venue. One tiny sign popped up where you were supposed to go to get in.

“Thank goodness our taxi driver knew the area and he had the wherewithal to pre-empt what the chaos and crowds when leaving the concert would be like, and meet us at the Eight Bells Pub down the road.

"That said, it took us nigh on two hours to get out, and when we did get through the exit gate it was total, utter chaos with inexperienced young stewards looking totally at a loss of how to direct the hordes of people trying to get home, let alone the traffic.

“All I can say is thank goodness there wasn’t any serious health and safety issues, it would have been a total disaster waiting to happen.”

Others TripAdvisor users reported a lack of seating and support for disabled concert-goers, with Steve E claiming: “No allowance was made for the change in personal conditions, and I, like others, have become disabled with problems with my knee and back.

“There was nowhere to sit at all no seats allowed, including sticks, no food allowed to be taken in or drinks other than water. It was two-and-a-half hours standing in agony before the concert.

“Then came time to leave finding the way out, stumbling over bottles and cans in almost pitch-black darkness.

“On reaching the car there was no signage we saw on how to leave car park. We waited two hours before heading to where everyone was going towards, at least another 30 minutes before stewards started appearing in groups about five, but they just stood around not assisting at all.”

Another user, Sue R, reported problems before the event even started, writing: “We booked our tickets to Michael Bublé pre-Covid. Unfortunately, I was involved in a car accident this year causing me to have sciatica, needing an op. It’s extremely difficult to stand.

“My husband contacted events to see if there was anything that would enable me to go to the event. Their reply was it’s been a standing concert since it was booked or contact AEG, which my husband did.

“Their response was just as unhelpful, ‘if you get there and someone hasn’t turned up might be able to access the area for accessible platform’. The other option, ‘bring a blanket, but you might be asked to pick it up’.”

User Carolyn R left another scathing review, writing: “The car parking situation was appalling to put it mildly.

“An hour to get in and more than two hours to leave with one narrow single-track road servicing the 25,000 people attending the concert it was carnage.

“I will never attend anything at Hatfield House again. Lack of organisation, lack of signage, lack of staff. It was an absolute shambles. Spoilt our night of joy with the fabulous Bublé.”

A statement released by Hatfield Park noted that disruption has never been experienced on this scale at any previous event held on the site.

A spokesperson said: "Hatfield Park is made available for professional events companies to create experiences which we believe will be memorable for all. For some, this event has been memorable for the wrong reasons.

"We regret that fact deeply and will now review the event’s shortcomings with the organiser.

"We strive to create a high-quality visitor experience and this event fell short of our standards.

"We routinely hold large scale events at Hatfield Park and have never experienced disruption on this scale.

"This should have been a special evening, like many of you will have had at Hatfield Park in the past: for some it was not, and we share in your disappointment.

"As Hatfield Park did not organise the event directly we recommend that questions or complaints are directed to AEG in the first instance."