Pancho Cafe accused of double-booking events

Book club organizer files complaint to stop cafe from shortchanging small organizers.

Pancho Cafe was put on the spot for allegedly violating event agreements by holding two gatherings simultaneously at its Kapitolyo, Pasig City, branch without informing either organizer.

Louise Villacorta, a book influencer who also organizes workshops for Candid Club, filed a formal complaint with Pancho Cafe management after the Kapitolyo branch supposedly violated a memorandum of agreement for an event last August.

In an Instagram post on October 20, Villacorta said a representative for the cafe reached out to her in July to explore a potential partnership for upcoming events, as shown in a screenshot of their Instagram conversation.

She then scheduled an event at Pancho Cafe Kapitolyo for August 30, when Candid Club held its Book of the Month gathering.

On the day itself, Villacorta discovered another event taking place at the venue at the same time. While she did not mention the other event, workshop organizer Studio ArtFix announced a painting class scheduled for the same day at the same cafe.

An August 30 post by Nostalgia Frames, a photobooth operator with a unit at Pancho Cafe Kapitolyo, showed both events taking place at different corners of the cafe.

The cafe reportedly failed to inform either organizer about the other event, Villacorta said. Studio ArtFix has not commented on the issue.

Villacorta raised the issue with Pancho Cafe, which apologized and offered compensation. However, she opted to submit a formal complaint to central management.

“This was the moment I realized that if this venue (with multiple branches around [Metro Manila]) can screw me over then pay me away, they probably would do it again and again. I need to take a stand for all the small organizers like me who trust venues to keep their word,” she said in her Instagram post.

In her complaint dated August 31, Villacorta said hosting another event at the same time supposedly violated the MOA by failing to provide sufficient space.

“The MOA explicitly states that Pancho Cafe will reserve sufficient space within the premises to comfortably accommodate the organizer and attendees. Operating two distinct events at the same time without physical barriers or sound isolation compromised the space, causing significant audio bleed and disrupting our program,” part of the complaint read.

Villacorta requested a formal meeting with management to discuss the alleged breach and agree on the next steps. After following up twice via both email and Instagram, Pancho Cafe acknowledged her complaint on September 4 but did not respond afterward. Villacorta also called out the cafe’s lack of acknowledgment in separate Instagram posts on September 26 and October 2, although she did not initially identify Pancho Cafe by name.

Others commented under Villacorta’s posts, saying they had similar experiences with Pancho Cafe. Villacorta also said others had been contacting her privately to share their frustrations with the cafe after she went public with her complaint.

Pancho Cafe has not commented on the matter. The establishment continues to host events and workshops across its four branches in Metro Manila, promoting these activities on its social media pages.

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