Pa. Attorney General settles with Bucks County venue that abruptly canceled weddings
Lawrence Plummer Jr. and Karen Plummer have agreed to $11,750 in civil penalties and costs, and are prohibited from holding or advertising events at The Barn at Forestville.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office on Friday announced a settlement with Bucks County wedding and event venue operators accused of failing to obtain a required zoning permit and abruptly canceling events.
Lawrence Plummer Jr. and Karen Plummer have agreed to pay $11,750 in civil penalties and costs, and are prohibited from holding or advertising events at The Barn at Forestville, which is located in Buckingham Township, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.
Consumers who paid for events that were canceled may be eligible for restitution and can file complaints with the Attorney General’s Office until Jan. 17, Shapiro said.
The Plummers could not be reached for comment late Friday afternoon. The Facebook page for the venue describes it as a restored 160-year-old barn.
The Plummers operated The Barn without the required zoning permit, and after a court ruled that they were not allowed to hold events there, they abruptly canceled numerous planned events, Shapiro said.
“The Plummers disregarded the well-being of people preparing for one of the most special days of their lives,” Shapiro said in a statement.
“They vowed to deliver, but operated their business, in violation of the law, and took advantage of couples who were acting in good faith. My office will remain diligent in ensuring companies like The Barn in Pennsylvania do not shed their responsibility to treat customers right and to operate lawfully,” Shapiro said.
People can file complaints online here.
According to the 2020 complaint filed by the Attorney General’s Office, the Plummers were cited in 2018 by Buckingham Township with operating The Barn without a required zoning permit and other violations.
The Plummers agreed not to hold unauthorized events at the venue, but continued to advertise and hold paid events there, the complaint says.
Buckingham Township took the Plummers to Common Pleas Court, which then ordered the Plummers to halt unauthorized business at the venue.
Scheduled events were canceled, but the Plummers did not provide refunds, the complaint states.