Festive fracas at popular Santa’s grotto

Bosses at Canterbury Christmas Market have criticised customers who abused staff at the weekend.

In a post shared on Facebook, they told how frustrated visitors lashed out at grotto workers, screaming at team members and using foul language in front of children.

The drama unfolded at the Visit Santa Experience in the Marlowe Arcade, near Whitefriars Shopping Centre, which is popular with families.

Tickets were sold out, but it is understood some parents were reluctant to accept their children could not see Santa.

“We will not tolerate verbal abuse to grotto staff,” organisers said.

“It’s just not on and bad language is completely inappropriate in front of the children at the grotto. This has to stop!

“We completely understand that you don’t want to let your children down, neither do we,

but shouting and screaming at our team is totally unacceptable.

“Please stop insisting we can just fit you in, we can’t, we are fully booked and the grotto team do not have access to all areas of the booking system.”

The post continued: “If you are late it is not the grotto team’s fault. We have made it clear time and time again over our website and on Facebook that we will not ruin the experience for the children that have arrived on time, and we are booked up so cannot reschedule.

“If you couldn’t find us then you haven’t read the details on the website or clicked on the Google Maps link on the website. This is not the grotto team’s fault, please organise yourselves in advance.

“If you are late because you couldn’t find us, it is not the grotto team’s fault, please see the above two points.

“If you go to the wrong town it is not our fault. The grotto is on the Canterbury Christmas Market website, which means the grotto is in Canterbury. Please

respect our team.”