Hastings and Rye’s MP Helena Dollimore has told constituents that residents of the area branded ‘‘1066 Country’’ failed to secure tickets for the Bayeux tapestry after being kept on hold for extended periods by what she described as a ‘‘glitchy and shambolic’’ telephone booking system.
Dollimore said people in her constituency had been assured of an opportunity to purchase tickets ahead of a public sale that opened on Wednesday, but that making contact with the British Museum by phone proved almost impossible. She added that the disruption appeared to have allowed others — which she called ‘‘queue jumpers’’ — to obtain tickets instead.
The Bayeux tapestry, an 11th-century embroidered cloth that depicts the events around the Norman conquest of England, typically attracts strong public interest when it is displayed outside France. The MP’s comments underline the level of demand for tickets and the problems that can arise when high demand meets technical or logistical failures in ticketing systems.
It is not clear from the available information how many residents were affected, whether alternative arrangements will be made for the local pre-sale, or how the British Museum intends to respond to the complaints. Dollimore’s account raises questions about the fairness and reliability of the booking process for high-profile cultural events.