Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers

The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), created in 1997, is a United Kingdom body providing self-regulation for the live event ticket sales industry. Its aim is to ensure consumer confidence in the sale of event tickets, and its members are required to comply with a code of practice.

STAR encourages high standards of service and reassuring the public that they are buying from a reputable ticket seller when they deal with a STAR member. It has received tremendous support from organisations, venues, producers, and promoters across the country for its work in combating ticket fraud and making ticket buying safer for all. STAR members now represent over 90% of theatre and music ticket sales (over a million tickets per week).

Code of practice

The code of practice covers all aspects of ticket retailing however it can be summarised in five main tenets:[1]

  • 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 enquiries 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".[2] STAR subsequently published model terms in July 2009.

Full Members of S.T.A.R.[3]
  • ACC Liverpool
  • Adelphi Theatre
  • AKA
  • Albemarle of London Ltd
  • Aldwych Theatre
  • Almeida Theatre
  • alt-tickets (DHP Family Ltd)
  • Ambassadors Theatre
  • Apollo Theatre
  • Apollo Victoria
  • Arts Club Liverpool
  • ATG Tickets
  • 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 (ATG)
  • Bristol Old Vic
  • Cambridge Theatre
  • Cameron Mackintosh Limited
  • CheapTheatreTickets.com
  • Chichester Festival Theatre
  • Churchill Theatre
  • City Varieties Music Hall
  • Covent Garden Box Office
  • Crewe Lyceum
  • Criterion Theatre
  • Delfont Mackintosh Theatres
  • DICE FM
  • Donmar Warehouse
  • Duchess Theatre
  • Duke of York’s Theatre
  • Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
  • Edinburgh Playhouse
  • Empire Theatre
  • Encore Tickets Ltd
  • English National Opera London Coliseum
  • Eventim UK Ltd
  • Family Tickets Ltd
  • Fever
  • Fortune Theatre
  • fromtheboxoffice.com
  • G Live
  • Garrick Theatre
  • Gielgud Theatre
  • Gigantic Tickets Limited
  • Gigs and Tours
  • Grand Opera House
  • Group Line (part of ATG)
  • Harold Pinter Theatre
  • Her Majesty’s Theatre
  • HQ Theatres Ltd
  • Hyde Park Picture House
  • JM Marketing Limited
  • Kaboodle Solutions Ltd
  • Kilimanjaro Live Ltd
  • King’s Theatre
  • KX Tickets
  • Leas Cliff Hall
  • Leeds Grand Theatre
  • Leicester Square Box Office
  • Line Up
  • Live Nation
  • London Box Office (Best of Theatre)
  • London Coliseum English National Opera
  • London Palladium
  • London Theatre
  • London Theatre Direct
  • lovetheatre.com (part of The Ticket Machine Group)
  • LW Theatres
  • Lyceum Theatre
  • Lyric Hammersmith
  • Lyric Theatre
  • Mamma Mia! The Party
  • M&S Bank Arena
  • Merlinsoft Ltd
  • Milton Keynes Theatre
  • Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
  • Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
  • Motorsport Tickets
  • Music Plus Sport Limited
  • National Arenas Association
  • National Theatre
  • Nederlander Dominion Limited
  • New Alexandra Theatre (ATG)
  • New London Theatre
  • New Theatre (ATG)
  • New Theatre Royal Lincoln
  • New Victoria Theatre (ATG)
  • New Wimbledon Theatre and Studio (ATG)
  • Nimax Theatres
  • Noel Coward Theatre
  • Novello Theatre
  • Nuffield Southampton Theatres
  • O2 Academy, Academy 2 and Academy 3 Birmingham
  • O2 Academy, Academy 2 and The Scholar Leicester
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Bristol
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Glasgow
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Islington
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Liverpool
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Newcastle
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Oxford
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Sheffield
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Leeds
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 Bournemouth
  • O2 Academy and Academy 2 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 House Manchester
  • Opera North
  • Orchard Theatre
  • Oxford Playhouse
  • Palace Theatre
  • Phoenix Theatre
  • Piccadilly Theatre
  • Playhouse Theatre
  • Prince Edward Theatre
  • Prince of Wales Theatre
  • Princess Theatre
  • Quaytickets
  • Queens Theatre
  • Red61
  • Regent Theatre
  • Resorts World Arena
  • Richmond Theatre
  • Royal Albert Hall
  • Royal Opera House
  • Royal Shakespeare Company
  • Sadlers Wells
  • Santa Pod Raceway
  • Savoy Theatre
  • Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
  • Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre SECC (Ovo Hydro)
  • SeatGeek
  • Seat Plan
  • See Tickets
  • Shaftesbury Theatre
  • 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 FA
  • The Lowry Lyric Quays and Studio Theatres
  • The Old Vic Theatre
  • The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
  • The Rugby Football Union
  • The SSE Arena Wembley
  • 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 Ltd
  • TYG Limited
  • UK Theatre
  • Universe
  • Utilita Arena, Birmingham
  • Utilita Arena Sheffield
  • Vaudeville Theatre
  • Victoria Hall
  • Victoria Palace
  • 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
  • Wyndhams 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
  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) STAR Code of Practice
  2. "The Office of Fair Trading: Ticket agents". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-04. OFT Tickets Agents Market Study 26 January 2005
  3. "STAR - All Members". www.star.org.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-06.


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