FUMING promoters, artists and staff have lashed out at the managers of the ill-fated Spectrum Arena, whose business went into liquidation last week.

Managing company Gandey Operations has been accused of being "naive, amateurish and incompetent", and many parties are taking legal advice to recover the money owed to them.

Top tribute band the Bootleg Beatles are still owed more than £6,000 in unpaid fees after they appeared at Spectrum three months ago.

Manager Raj Patel said they had asked for the money every three days since then, indicating that Spectrum had been encountering problems well before last week's collapse.

"We spoke to the management hundreds of times. They promised us cheques and bank drafts, but we never received anything," he said.

Mr Patel, who says he will fight on to recover the money with help from the Musicians' Union and Equity, said it was a shame that Warrington's chance to host large-scale entertainment had been bungled by amateurs.

"They were totally naive, slack and amateurish," he said. "The promotion was useless and the organisation was horrendous. It was the worst show of the whole tour.

"We're taking legal advice at the moment and waiting to see whether liquidators are going to be brought in," he added.

As the GUARDIAN went to press, managers remained unavailable for comment at the £1 million complex, which re-opened in January after a £250,000 refurbishment.

A spokesman for the council's licensing department was equally baffled: "All we have received is a letter from the solicitors saying that they're not renewing their entertainment licence at the moment. The ball's in their court," she said.

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