Asolicitor who tried to sue the Royal Albert Hall in a row over ticket prices is facing a bill for £120,000 after failing to persuade a costs judge it was disproportionate for the venue to instruct London solicitors.

William Stockler and his son, Alexander, are the holders of rights to ‘permanent’ seats in the hall, but took issue with a ticket return scheme which allows seat-holders to return unwanted tickets for particular events in exchange for a payment.

The Stocklers did not agree with the calculations of the amounts due by way of returns and issued proceedings against The Corporation of the Hall of The Arts and Sciences - which holds a long lease of the hall - claiming an account and payment of the monies which they maintained were due to them. But their suit was unsuccessful and in May last year the Stocklers were ordered to pay the costs of the claim (including the costs of an application for permission to amend their particulars of claim) and a counterclaim brought by the hall, on the indemnity basis from 9 June 2023 as a result of ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

After a line-by-line assessment of the defendant’s costs bill - which initially stood at £162,789.37 but which the claimants argued was unreasonable - the bill was calculated at £120,513.88.