THE Daily Echo has confronted failed promoter Stephen McManus over the axed Olly Murs gig which was due to take place tomorrow.

Mr McManus, who has previously refused to meet with an Echo reporter, although he has answered questions by phone and email, was waiting for a meeting at the Norfolk Hotel at the time.

He said he believed a significant proportion of the many fans who had paid to see the X Factor superstar perform in Kings Park had now been either reimbursed or provided with tickets to alternative performances.

"Large numbers have had their money returned or have got tickets," he said, adding that repaying the customers was the top priority, before other creditors.

He said his firm Stephen C Associates, while selling tickets for the gig, had been taking advice from administrators that the company's position was safe. He has previously spoken of a "large financial investment" which never materialised.

"It wasn't in danger. We were being led by the administrators that the money was going to be there," he said.

"As soon as the money wasn't there, we stopped.

"We were told that money was coming in right up until the Friday morning."

Mr McManus, who has operated previous events companies that have also gone into liquidation, described the events industry as "high risk". "Look at the number of other events that have gone down the tube this summer."

He added: "I have apologised on a number of occasions. I have apologised since day one."

Singer Murs has offered up tickets to shows in Portsmouth and Swansea for fans left out of pocket, and Mr McManus has previous said ticketing agencies had retained a lot of the cash paid without forwarding it on to his firm, allowing it to be recovered.

The businessman said he and his family had experience threats and abuse as a result of the incident.

Aside from fans the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra was left high and dry when the firm folded, and the Bournemouth Hospital Charity has been forced to seek alternative funds as it was due to benefit from the gig.