Brighton Marathon: winner slams Grounded Events

Grounded Events, organisers of Brighton Marathon, filed notice of hiring administrators on November 1 but was still selling tickets for next year’s event until midnight on Monday, November 7.

It comes as last year’s winner announced he was hiring debt collectors to try to get his £2,000 prize.

Alix Ramsier, who won last year’s event, said: "I genuinely hope that the marathon stays because I had the most incredible day but I hope they don't go anywhere near running events again.

“The marathon used to get massive support from my running clubs but I don’t know anyone who has signed up to the event now.

“I hope that none of the charities are affected. I think the company should be ashamed of what they have done.”

Mr Ramsier, 34, from Croydon, says that he is still waiting for prize money from the company.

He added that he has employed a debt collection agency to secure the money he is owed.

Runners at the 2022 Marathon (Image: Simon Dack)

After The Argus reported that runners were still waiting more than six months to be paid following the 2022 marathon, Grounded Events gave notice of their intention to enter administration on November 1. However, applications to run in the 2023 event were still open until November 7.

Mr Ramsier, who runs a lawn care company, is still owed £2,000 for winning the 2022 marathon. He previously added that he would not run the Brighton Marathon again while it was organised by Grounded Events.

The Notice of Intention, which was filed for Grounded by law firm Crowell and Moring, can be used to protect the company from being liquidated.

Accounts from the last financial year show that Grounded Events owes creditors around £1.2million. This compares to the previous year where around £1.6million was owed.

Now, Brighton and Hove City Council have told the organisers that they will not be allowed to host the event if they do not pay their outstanding debts.

In a statement, a spokesman for the council said: “We are committed to hosting a Brighton Marathon next year.

“But we have made it clear to Grounded Events that we will not provide full landlords' consent for the use of city space unless they fulfil the criteria we have set out for them.

“This includes the settling of all outstanding debts from previous years.

“We are aware that they now stated their intention to appoint administrators as a protective measure.

“We are meeting them later this week to understand the implications of this in terms of their request to run the Brighton Marathon next year.”

Grounded Events has been approached for comment regarding the application to appoint administrators.