Center Parcs U-turn over plan to shut on funeral day
Furious families had faced the prospect of being kicked out and then asked to come back 24 hours later to finish their holidays
CENTER Parcs performed an embarrassing U-turn last night after an angry backlash from customers when it announced they would have to leave on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
The firm had been set to order holidaymakers to depart from its five UK parks by 10am on Monday in plans to shut for 24 hours.
Guests part-way through seven-day holidays – which usually cost more than £1,000 for a family of four at this time of year – faced the prospect of being forced to spend the night elsewhere or go home early. Those due to arrive on Monday for
‘No legal right to remove people’
shorter stays were being asked to begin their breaks a day later. However, last night the company said it had ‘reviewed our position regarding the very small number of guests who are not due to depart on Monday and we will be allowing them to stay in our villages rather than having to leave and return on Tuesday.’
A spokesman said: ‘The villages will still remain closed on Monday and we will be offering a discount for the lack of facilities available on that day.’ When it made the earlier announcement that holidaymakers must leave, Center Parcs said the decision was a ‘mark of respect’ and it was taken ‘to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment’.
It added: ‘We hope our guests will understand our decision to support our Queen on her final journey.’ Many people expressed their anger on the Facebook page for Center Parcs, which has sites in Bedfordshire, Suffolk, Wiltshire, Nottinghamshire and Cumbria.
Consultant Tracy Groome, 58, who lives near Manchester, had a sevennight booking at Elveden Forest, Suffolk, for a party of nine, including her husband and their family. The trip – due to begin on Friday – cost more than £2,500.
Mrs Groome said she had been looking forward to watching the Queen’s funeral during her stay.
She said: ‘Thanks to Center Parcs, we won’t even get to see it because we will be trying to entertain two children and two dogs.
‘I’m very sure it would not be what the Queen or the Royal Family wants. I’m sure they will not want everybody who was due to go to Center Parcs on a holiday to have their holiday spoiled, and for them to have this stress of trying to organise something different.
‘Goodness only knows where we are supposed to go!
‘We are three and a half hours away from home, so it’s simply not possible to come home and go back again the next day.’
A legal expert last night claimed that Center Parcs may have faced breaking consumer and contract law if it carried out the plan of forcing customers to leave.
Barrister Daniel Barnett said the company had no legal right to remove people from accommodation they paid for without going to court to get an injunction, which would be expensive and damaging for its reputation.
He stressed: ‘Center Parcs can’t chuck you out on Monday.’
The row comes as Britain is set to fall silent on Monday as high streets, schools, supermarkets, other businesses and factories close while the nation pays its respects to the Queen.
The day has been officially designated a bank holiday as hundreds of thousands flock to London to witness history.
At the same time, millions will be tuned into TV coverage at home. Retail chains, historic sites, cinemas and theme parks, which would normally open on a bank holiday, have already signalled their doors will shut.
At this stage it is not clear whether pubs will be serving as normal, but it may be left to the discretion of landlords. Pub giant JD Wetherspoon last night said no decision had been made while food chains, such as McDonald’s, are also yet to decide.
The Government indicated it expects mass closures, saying: ‘We would expect that many workers will be able to take the day off on the bank holiday.’