A company director has apologised to dozens of people who lost deposits when his firm collapsed and cancelled Christmas parties it had organised.

Deposits totalling thousands of pounds were lost when Jamesons Events ceased trading and eight parties set to be held at Spike Island art gallery and Bristol Grammar School were scrapped.

Among those left out of pocket were staff from the Bristol Royal Infirmary and workers at a housing association in South Gloucestershire.

Jazz band Ain't Misbehavin' also missed out on £3,000 in earnings when they were told they would no longer be performing.

Simon Lynton-Jenkins, a director of Essential Ingredient Agency Limited, of which Jamesons Events is a trading name, has now contacted the Evening Post to explain why the company failed and apologised to people affected by the collapse.

He said: "Where possible we have refunded deposits, sought job transfers for staff, and paid off suppliers as we could.

"We do apologise to any party who has lost money due to the collapse of the company. It is not a situation that we wanted or indeed could foresee in early 2009, and I believe we have done everything we could possibly do to mitigate loss to third parties at our own personal cost."

Mr Lynton-Jenkins said he and his brother Conrad, also a director of the company, lost £300,000 as a result of the company's failure and said neither drew a wage this year.

Once the company identified potential financial problems earlier this year, he said it began to cut costs but was unable to make a recovery.

Mr Lynton-Jenkins said: "I am sure there are a lot of people willing to vent their frustrations and voice opinions on the demise of Jameson's Events.

"But personally I know there are a higher number of people who have benefited from the business, employment and services of the company since it was formed as well as a good number who were returned their deposit cheques and paid their accounts."

He added the company was badly hindered by problems it encountered while working with Monmouthshire County Council to put on events at Caldicot Castle.

Mr Lynton-Jenkins said its troubles were compounded when bookings for Christmas parties were down 75 per cent this year compared with 2008 and the company's bank 'removed its support'. He said: "It is now clear there is no prospect of the company continuing and letters have been sent out advising that the company has formally ceased trading."

The Lynton-Jenkins brothers ran Howards restaurant in Bristol until it closed in September and were behind Jamesons restaurant in Upper Maudlin Street, which was renamed Conrad at Jameson 2-4-1 before it closed in August 2008. Conrad Lynton-Jenkins was also involved in the opening of a new farm shop at Ashton Court Estate in April.