MUSIC lovers are threatening to boycott Stroud's Subscription Rooms after a charity concert ended in chaos.

More than 400 fans who bought tickets for the Soul Destroyers on Saturday night are demanding their money back after the show was abandoned following a a fire scare.

Soul fan Melanie Wellings, of Stanley Mills Cottages, Stonehouse, bought tickets for herself and six friends at £8 each.

She says the organisation of the event - in aid of children's charity NCH - was 'diabolical'.

It started on arrival when, Ms Wellings, 40, was unable to get served at the bar.

"We made our way upstairs to find the bar was eight deep in a very small area with just two bar staff on duty," she said.

"People were complaining they could not get a drink and had been waiting for 45 minutes."

Then the fire alarm went off and revellers were evacuated.

Mike Farrugia, 46, and his girlfriend Alison Harry, 40, were among those caught up.

"We stood outside for about 30 minutes then one of the staff shouted that the event was over," he said.

"A lot of people who go to these concerts are around my age with children.

"We have the hassle and expense of arranging babysitters.

"We want to support these events but we are not getting value for money."

Ms Wellings later raised concerns over safety procedures at the venue.

She says staff told her that fire doors were locked and they hadn't been trained in emergency drill procedures.

"Unless the organisation right in the future we will not go to gigs there," she said.

However, Stroud District Council has strongly rebuffed the safety claims. Council spokesman Dave Marshall said: "No fire doors were locked on Saturday evening and all stewards had received training in fire evacuation procedures.

"A malfunction in the fire alarm system indicated there was a fire.

"The fire and rescue service advised that in this situation we had no option but to evacuate the building."

He said the alarm system was regularly maintained and had not caused problems before.

But he did say that in hindsight the downstairs bar should have been opened because of the high ticket sales.

"We apologise to customers for this error," he said.

"The situation was not helped by one of the five bar staff going sick.

"We will be making refunds to all 463 customers.

"We hope people will understand that the fire alarm problem was unforeseeable and that they will not be put off visiting us in future."

He said the crowd was not allowed back into the building because the fire system was still registering a blaze - even though it was safe.