People expecting to attend an exhibition of dissected human bodies this weekend have been left out of pocket after and disappointed after it was cancelled.
The Real Human Bodies exhibition advertised on Facebook was expected to take place at City Hall in Bristol from Friday (July 19) and was selling tickets at £17 for adults via a link to an online website.
It has now been revealed that the organisers did not have the correct licence to hold the event and it has been cancelled.
The organisers have also pulled previous events in Portsmouth, Southampton and Brighton for similar reasons.
There are claims that the event may have been a “scam” following reports that a number of people who purchased tickets for the exhibition - across all four cities - have been unable to contact the organisers and get a refund.
Leila Tudor, who works as a nurse in Bristol, said she spent £34 on two tickets for her and her partner to attend the exhibition on Friday.
She added: “I saw the event advertised on Facebook and clicked the link in order to purchase two tickets.
“I never received a confirmation email and my tickets never arrived either. Then I started hearing rumours that it might be a scam and next thing I know the event has been cancelled.
“I have had the money taken from my PayPal bank account, so I have reported the scam to them. I’m yet to hear anything but I was told it could take some time.
“Honestly I just feel really silly because I’m so careful with things like this, but it just looked so legitimate.
“I just worry that other people will be in a similar position and won’t know that the entire event has been cancelled."
Some customers who purchased tickets for the event in other cities have complained to Action Fraud and PayPal hoping to get their cash back.
Events like this, such as the genuine Bodyworks exhibition in London, need a licence from the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).
The organisers of this event had not applied for a licence from the authority, which is responsible for ensuring that all human bodies, body parts, and tissue within the Human Tissue Act’s scope should be treated with appropriate respect and dignity.
A spokesperson for HTA said: “Where exhibitions such as the ‘Real Human Bodies Exhibition’ that display human specimens to the public are subject to the licensing requirements of the HT Act, they must take place on premises licensed by the HTA.
“To obtain an HTA licence, an establishment must apply to us for a licence and must adhere to our licensing standards.
“We would need to inspect the premises and review the establishment’s policies, procedures and records to ensure that they meet the HTA licensing standards.
“We must also be satisfied that the bodies have been lawfully obtained.”
According to Bristol City Council the organisers for the event this weekend had not obtained the appropriate licence required.
A spokesperson said: “The organisers of this exhibition provisionally booked space at City Hall but no payment was ever received for the booking.
“We have also subsequently discovered that the licence required to display human bodies is not in place.
“We have therefore had to cancel the booking, as have a number of other venues. We urge everyone who has bought a ticket to contact the event organiser to claim a refund.”
Bristol Live has attempted to contact the organisers of Real Human Bodies Exhibition for comment.
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