gownhire.co.uk

1.4
1.4 Based on 21 reviews

Online ordering service for graduation robes, with postal delivery or collection from the university....

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Average Rating

1.4

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5

21 Reviews

5 Star
10%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
5%
1 Star
86%

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Wade Hughes
Poor photography and policies

At a recent graduation, I had a negative experience with this service. I pre-booked photography, waited in line, and when my turn came, the photographer barely spoke to me and hurriedly posed me, leaving me feeling uncomfortable. The silence during the shoot added to the awkwardness, which is evident in the photos I received. The initial customer service response was unsatisfactory, offering only a partial refund. I wrote a detailed complaint, but it was ignored and met with a basic response. The sitting fee they mentioned seems ridiculous and is just a way to extract more money from students. You deserve to see the images on the day, and at the very least, should be offered a retake or a full refund. I cannot recommend this company and advise against pre-booking photos.

1
Date of experience: Oct 07, 2025
Phillipps Wilson
Disappointing graduation photo experience

I used this service for my graduation. The photos were sent but remained in the box, and upon reframing, I noticed flaws. I contacted them and was told to send a copy of the photo to highlight the issues. I complied, only to be informed that nothing could be done after 28 days. Why ask for a photo if nothing can be done? This is poor service for a photography company where digital files are easy to store and edit. Overall, they did not meet expectations. Perhaps universities should consider alternative contractors.

1
Date of experience: Oct 03, 2025
Their policy above all else

Had to use them for my graduation, unfortunately 2 days before I was trapped abroad and unable to make it back.I contacted them the moment I knew but had no reply.I chased them up a few days later and they only said their policy would allow refunds with 7 days notice.Despite being an extreme situation, they just repeated the policy and said I had 12 months to use the order for a future graduation but I would never get a refund.It was very frustrating as the issues abroad cost money, my hotel booking, bookings for my family all extra costs and ultimately I missed my graduation. They just cared about their policy.ADDITION!I responded to their reply below and included the email chain they asked for details again and then told me again that I wasn't due a refund!!! Absolute time wasters and a disgusting level of customer service.

1
Date of experience: Sep 22, 2025
Clayton Morris
Most confusing ordering system ever

Most confusing ordering system ever. I inadvertently cancelled my first tickets so reordered them with the gown etc. It is still not clear as to whether I actually have tickets as customer services can’t give me a straight answer. My app & bank account say one thing but customer services say different. Please sort your website & ordering system so it’s more user friendly. I use computers everyday & your website is not one of the better ones. It has made what should be an exciting achievement very stressful.

2
Date of experience: Jul 26, 2025
Joel Fisher
It is a monoply!

This was the most disappointing experience I've encountered. The quality of the photographs was subpar, and I was provided with the incorrect gown for the ceremony. Customer service was unsatisfactory, and I paid £200 for their services. It appears that they have a dominant position in the university graduation market.

1
Date of experience: Jul 25, 2025
Fivola67
Don’t go near the photo options.

I paid £80 in advance for studio graduation photos and simply can’t get them. The links don’t work, they suggested I had to download chrome (who does that?) but that didn’t work and now a deafening silence. I asked for e-images because the website is sooo difficult to navigate but am planning now to contact my bank to cancel. So great …. no graduation pics!🥵

1
Date of experience: Jul 14, 2025
Maya Gupta
Extremely poor photo quality

Extremely poor photo quality

1
Date of experience: Jun 12, 2025
Katy Howard
I had previously paid for my gown hire…

I had previously paid for my gown hire for my graduation. Which I no longer went to and had asked this company to hold the gown till next year. To find out my university is no longer using them for this years graduation so I then asked for a refund which they said they will give. I have waited weeks and now I don’t even get a response back from them. There very unprofessional and you should not hire your gown from them. They have stopped communication which makes sense as to why they don’t have a telephone line wnd why my university is not using there services moving forward.

1
Date of experience: Jun 10, 2025
MF71
Double Payment Required for Rescheduled Ceremony

I pre-booked and paid for gown hire and photography with Ede & Ravenscroft in 2020 for my graduation ceremony. Due to the pandemic, the ceremony was postponed. At the time, I called Ede & Ravenscroft and was given the choice of a refund or to wait for a rescheduled ceremony. I chose to wait. In 2025, I booked my rescheduled ceremony with the university within their specified deadline. It's important to note that the university only arranges a few London ceremonies per year, with limited slots that fill up quickly. Plus, due to work commitments, I was unable to book sooner. Even so, I still booked my ceremony within the deadline. Despite this, Ede & Ravenscroft required me to pay again for the same services. Their terms and conditions do not address long-term postponements, which is the exact situation I was in. I feel this is unfair and am disappointed.

1
Date of experience: Mar 03, 2025
Carlton Cook
"Beyond furious with your absolutely pathetic and poor service!

"Beyond furious with your absolutely pathetic and poor service!We had a highly disappointing experience with this E&R company. The website lacks essential information, making it difficult to understand the services offered. Attempts to contact them by phone were unsuccessful, as calls often went unanswered. Instead, communication is restricted to email, but responses if they arrive are slow and unhelpful. Customer service is virtually nonexistent, and the pricing for photography and gown hire is significantly higher than expected, especially given the basic quality of service. It feels as though the company takes advantage of students who simply want to celebrate their special day. With limited alternatives available, they impose high fees for a service that should be smooth, professional, and stress-free. My concerns regarding poor communication and service have already been raised with the relevant authorities. If you want a hassle-free and enjoyable graduation experience, I strongly suggest considering other options but NOT with this company. In today's world, high-quality photos can be taken with a mobile phone, making traditional photography services and costly gown rentals an unnecessary expense. Graduation should be a joyful milestone, not a frustrating and overpriced ordeal. PS: E&R, instead of repeatedly apologising for your poor service, take meaningful action to fix the issues. I don’t need another insincere apology from you if you don’t mean it. Focus on improving your service for future graduates. "I can NOT see this happening"

1
Date of experience: Feb 11, 2025

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Business Details

  • Online ordering service for graduation robes, with postal delivery or collection from the university.

  • language https://gownhire.co.uk

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