The organisers of MAD//UpNorth issued an apology after hundreds of delegates were left to wait outside “in the freezing cold” for several hours before they were able to enter the venue.
Around 4,000 visitors were expected to attend the two-day event at Manchester’s Factory International. However, a ticketing problem on Wednesday (26 February) meant security staff told people they could not enter, from around 10.30am onwards. The problem was not fully resolved until around 1.30pm.
One frustrated delegate wrote online: “The event was [an] utter shambles! Queued outside for three hours in the freezing cold, despite arriving before the event started and having tickets! Ended up leaving the queue out of frustration and needing to warm up.”
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Organisers Mad//Fest issued an apology yesterday afternoon. It read: “Hands up – apologies for the long queues at MAD//UpNorth today. We have had an issue with our new ticketing + have been working hard to fix it.”
Manchester United captain Gary Neville (above, right) kicked off the second day, offering personal insights into his burgeoning media empire and the integration of AI into his day-to-day life.
Speaking on stage to New Digital Age editor, Justin Pearse, Neville also praised Manchester as a “city that gets things done”, with a population hungry for more cultural events.
Although the long queues seen on Wednesday had dissipated, demand for the event did occasionally lead to long waits to access various stages.
Later in the day, Vodafone’s global creative director, Sabrina Godden explored whether the widespread proliferation of generative AI is killing creativity, while Asda’s VP of marketing Adam Zavalis explained how the discount grocers Yorkshire roots are a vital part of the brand’s identity.
