17 Nov 2025
Following the sudden and disastrous closure of Halloween Haunt Fest in Redbourn, which left a large number of actors and managers unpaid and cost contractors and the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society tens of thousands of pounds, local businesses and volunteers have come together to salvage something positive from the ashes of the event.
The event kicked off at the showground, near Redbourn, on Thursday October 16, and was due to run right up until November 1.
But the company running the attraction, In The Scenes Ltd, entered voluntary insolvency on October 28, bringing the event to a premature close and leaving customers, bar staff, operations management, production team, maze managers and actors with no income from the event.
Chief executive Nick Doherty said at the time: “Despite the team’s best efforts to deliver this year’s event successfully, unforeseen financial challenges have made it impossible for the company to continue operating sustainably… A licensed insolvency practitioner is being appointed to oversee the company’s affairs and will contact all affected parties, including ticket holders in due course.”
As yet no details relating to possible refunds have been confirmed.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the closure, the site has been dismantled by a team of volunteers, and almost all stages, mazes, and props have now found new homes with a variety of local community groups.
Phoebe Shergold-Willis, a local producer and creative, is now preparing something new for autumn 2026. While details remain under wraps, the project aims to create a thrilling experience for the local community while also helping those affected by the 2025 event recover some of their lost opportunities.
Phoebe, founder of SASA School of Performing Arts, said: “After experiencing both financial and emotional hardship, the work over the last week has been about creating a positive opportunity from a truly horrendous situation. I hope this will benefit many in the local acting community who suffered in the same way I have in recent weeks, and I’m excited to bring something new to the area next year.”
Stuart Roberts, chairman of the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society, said: “While we have faced significant losses due to the event organisers stopping the event and failing to pay
their bills, we also have enormous sympathy for the 100-plus actors who received no payment for their hard work.
“We are delighted to have worked with Phoebe and other local organisations to create something positive from the ashes of this disaster. In addition to Phoebe’s plans, we have also been able to support the Pioneer Club in St Albans, Sunnyside Rural Trust, a number of Scout groups, and several local schools and colleges.”
Phoebe added: “Dismantling, transporting, and storing so much material has been an incredibly challenging task far beyond what any of us anticipated.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who has worked tirelessly to help, particularly MC Building Solutions who worked for three days in the wind and rain to help us
dismantle everything, RAL Surfacing and many other local volunteers came down to support us. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the Agricultural Society for helping facilitate one of the very few positive outcomes from the 2025 Halloween Haunt Fest.”
