UK Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers Appoints Richard Brundle As Chairman

The UK’s Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) has appointed Richard Brundle as its new chairman. He succeeds Adrian Sanders, who retired after two-and-a-half years in the role. 

– Richard Brundle
The new chairman of STAR

As former MD of ticket agency Edwards and Edwards, Brundle was part of the original team that created STAR in the mid-nineties, and was a STAR council member from 1997-2000. He was a board member of the International Ticketing association INTIX between 1997 and 2000 and, along with colleagues, managed the INTIX offshoot ETT (Europe Talks Tickets) from 2003 to 2009.

Brundle has specialised in the theatre, entertainment, and hospitality industries with a particular passion for ticketing. He has held numerous senior and board level positions in the commercial theatre and entertainment industries for 30 years.

One of Brundle’s immediate aims will be meet the challenges set out in Attitude is Everything’s State of Access Report. 

“We need to bring together as many parties as possible to make tickets available to all, including those with access issues. Great strides have started on that and one of my goals is bring an industry wide standard in this area,” Brundle commented.

Speaking about the ticketing industry in general, he added, “many splinter groups have come into existence to put their own version of what ticketing should look like in 2018. Some have their own agendas to promote and validate their own business model, others seem to be on a crusade and we have still more groups trying to bring order in a commercial world which has many different levels of complexity to it.

“STAR needs to unify where it can, lead the ticketing charter, and to make a difference in how people choose to buy their tickets. STAR’s role must be to help to ensure that the public are well informed and clear before they purchase a ticket. The public need to know that whoever they buy their ticket from is it a legal transaction or not, and where to turn to if something goes wrong.”

STAR’s chief executive Jonathan Brown said, “it’s great to have Richard on board again. He knows the ticketing industry inside-out and, as a founder of STAR, he has great clarity and vision about strengthening and extending STAR’s role in safeguarding the interests of the ticket-buying public and the industry its members serve. He has tremendous support from the membership and I know that the STAR Council are looking forward very much to working under Richard’s leadership.”