REFUNDS to Pride Glasgow revellers who were denied entry to the event last month totalled £6,500.

The organisation admitted it had let customers down and was “profoundly sorry” for a catalogue of errors which saw the event dubbed a “shambles” by festivalgoers.

In an open letter to volunteers and customers, it was revealed the deputy chief executive had stood down while recruitment for new trustees will begin as the firm pledged to take action if staff “acted in a way which is below the standards expected”.

Organisers also promised to be more transparent by hiring a chartered accountant and plan to release full details of its accounts later this year.

The letter read: “We’re sorry for the ticketing problems which meant a significant number of you were put in difficult situations in very hot conditions.

“We’re sorry to all those performers, hosts, stallholders, sponsors and guests for whom we didn’t live up to expectations.

“We’re sorry for the reputational damage done to the LGBT community in Glasgow and the Pride movement in Scotland by our actions.”

It added: “We want a Pride event that Glasgow can be proud of – the biggest and best in Scotland.

“But most importantly, an event that reflects the ongoing fight for LGBT equality and one which respects the diversity that makes our community so strong.

“That’s why we’ll be holding a series of new engagement events throughout the year to make sure the LGBT+ community have a chance to tell us what Pride means to them. After all, there is no Pride without a community.”

The organisation also appointed Chris Lang as a new chairperson of the trustees.

However, city comedian and host of the two-day July event Scott Agnew has blasted the apology as a “smoke and mirrors move” and called for the entire board of trustees to resign.

He said: “It’s not a change in their management structure at all, they’ve just shuffled staff about. They had an absent deputy [chief executive] who lived in Manchester and just showed up on the weekend of the event, it was always Alastair Smith who called the shots.

“For him to still be on that board, absolutely nothing has changed. It’s embarrassing for Glasgow, it’s embarrassing for the gay community.

“If they insist on staying in place, the gay community have to set up their own group.”

Reaction to the statement was split, with dozens of fans insisting they would not return to the event regardless of any changes.

While others praised the organisation for listening to revellers’ concerns.