Firm claiming to sell sports hospitality shut down

Prospective clients were targeted with corporate hospitality at events such as the Six Nations Rugby and Formula 1 Grand Prix

A company that offered half-price sporting events hospitality has been shut down after cancelling bookings at short notice and then not paying refunds, The Insolvency Service said.

Customers of Prive Global Sports Ltd, which was registered in Wolverhampton, suffered losses of more than £600,000.

Emails were sent to prospective clients about events including the Six Nations Rugby and Formula 1 Grand Prix, the government agency explained.

It said Prive Global Sports, which was wound up at the High Court in Manchester, "never had" the rights to corporate hospitality packages it offered businesses.

Under the operation, packages were offered at a discount of about 50%, claiming tickets had become available due to cancellations.

But Prive Global Sports would then email customers ahead of dates to cancel bookings, promising a refund and free tickets to alternative events.

Warnings on websites

Chief investigator at The Insolvency Service David Usher said customers lost out "not just financially but also reputationally" when packages intended to raise their own profile were cancelled at short notice.

He added: "The company also collected significant sums in VAT payments when it was not registered to do so and submitted highly dubious and unverified accounts to Companies House."

Investigations into Prive Global Sports found no evidence of legitimate trading activity from the company, the government agency said.

It had been established four years ago under the name Valamus Ltd.

The Insolvency Service stated a number of clients to whom it spoke said they had made complaints to reporting centre Action Fraud.

The RFU and FIA, the governing bodies for rugby union in England and worldwide motorsport, published warnings on their websites stating they had no affiliation with Prive Global Sports, urging customers not to buy tickets from it.

The company also charged 20% VAT on each sale, collecting about £120,000 in tax, when it was not registered to do so, said The Insolvency Service, which added it found no evidence that any VAT collected by the company was paid to HM Revenue & Customs.

Accounts filed at Companies House for 2022-2023 valued it at £4.75m and the service found "no evidence to support such a valuation".

It added Prive Global Sports also failed to maintain a registered office, and the company phone and email contacts no longer worked.

The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator.