Ticketmaster offers partial refunds to The Cure fans

Ticketmaster has offered a partial refund to fans who bought tickets to see The Cure’s upcoming US tour.

The company came under fire earlier this week, when it emerged that, in some cases, the fees added up to more than the face value of the ticket.

The Cure’s frontman Robert Smith said he was “sickened” by the “debacle” and promised fans answers.

On Thursday night, he said Ticketmaster agreed the fees had been “unduly high” and would return some of the money.

As a “gesture of goodwill”, the company will refund $10 (£8) to anyone who bought the lowest-price tickets, which were priced at $20 (£16), he said.

All other fans will received a $5 refund.

“If you already bought a ticket, you will get an automatic refund,” Smith tweeted. “All tickets on sale tomorrow will incur lower fees.”

The band are due to embark on their Shows of a Lost World North American tour in May, with the 30-date trek kicking off in New Orleans.

Problems with the ticket sale emerged on Wednesday, when fans shared screenshots of Ticketmaster’s pricing structure.

One customer who bought four $20 (£16.54) tickets ended up paying $172,10 (£142), after service fees, a facility charge and an order processing fee were added.

Another, who wanted to see the band in Phoenix, Arizona, paid $72.25 (£59.75) for a ticket with the face value of $20 (£16.54).

The fees varied by venue – one fan reported a $16.75 (£13.87) service fee in Massachusetts, while another fan reported $15 (£12.42) in Toronto – and they didn’t always exceed the base ticket price. Some of the more expensive seats cost $90 (£74.50) each, for example.

Smith reacted furiously to the news, writing a series of tweets criticising the additional fees.

“To be very clear, the artist has no way to limit them,” he wrote.

“I have been asking how they are justified. If I get anything coherent by way of an answer, I will let you know,” he promised.

Ticketmaster has not independently confirmed the refund offer. The BBC has contacted the company for comment.

You can read Smith’s tweets about the refunds below.