Equity is calling on members who have undertaken work, or are booked to work, for Sneaky Experience to contact us as soon as possible in relation to concerns over non-payment. Sneaky Experience is an events company which hires performers, variety artists, singers, dancers and others for bookings ranging from corporate events, film screenings and children’s entertainment.
We have been contacted by a number of members, who are together owed over £27,000 following work completed for Sneaky Experience. The work took place at Eltham Palace, London, as well as Kings Dock in Liverpool in late 2024.
We are further concerned that Sneaky Experience is closely linked to other companies with the same directors and very similar names (Sneaky Experience Ltd and Sneaky Experience Limited) which were either dissolved or went into liquidation in the past decade. Our investigations with Companies House show a potted history of company registrations and closures linked to Julia Benfield and Andrew Benfield. Andrew Benfield is listed as a current director of Curious Yellow Events Ltd, while Julia Benfield is a signatory on recent contracts hiring performers which says ‘Curious Yellow Events Ltd trading as Sneaky Experience’.
In the terms and conditions section of the current Sneaky Experience website, it states: “the event is provided by Be Part of it Productions Limited trading as Sneaky Experience”. Having researched Be Part of It Productions Ltd, Equity found that this company was liquidated in April 2024 with Julia Benfield listed as a director. It is unclear what impact this has on Sneaky Experience’s current trading status.
Equity has tried on numerous occasions to contact Sneaky Experience. Our letters seeking payment for members have gone unanswered. We have now launched legal claims for our members who are owed thousands of pounds, and we are also seeking holiday pay that they are due as workers.
We understand that recruitment is underway for future events as part of Sneaky Experience and we are concerned that more members may find themselves unpaid.
We urge members to contact us with a copy of their contract and any amounts due by emailing northeastengland@equity.org.uk.
