Center parks - a bit tacky?

Why wouldnt a middle class person go to cafe rouge or starbucks😂if you have 5 quid to spend on coffee rhen you are definitely not poor.
And trying to class centre parks is ridiculous. People go becuase it is an easy break eith kids, no matter what your class. I have a friend who goes twice avyear and they are multi millionaires. And I don't know anyone who is on a lower income that can afford their prices as its very expensive for what it is.
Ive been twice and I agree the restaurants are a bit crap, the onsite store is overpriced and limited and the accomodation is quite basic if you get their standard accomodation. I think the good points were the safety aspect, the activities and forest cycling and we liked the pool.
5 star it is not, but I dont think it is tacky.

But it is private equity owned

Yep like Gail's & Pho.

Bluestone is fine for little kids but there’s very little to do for older kids. The pool is getting shabby and isn’t a patch on the ones at CP. The shops and amenities are almost non existent - an hour and you’ve seen it all. I won’t be going back to Bluestone. I will be going back to CP.

I get what the Op is saying. We live in London and can get to one of the sites in 90 mins. We go every 12-18 months because it is quick to get to, the kids can ride bikes in safety and they like the outdoor activities.

The restaurant food though does feel like eating at a provincial out of town leisure complex from 2005. The pool and changing rooms could really do with updating. It doesn’t need to be like that. But it is private equity owned so hardly surprising them are only interested in maxing income and valuation not client experience.

What a sad judgemental prat you sound.

I’m in the north too , a Gail’s (or, Fail’s as people call it) opened in a town not too far and there were literal protests. No one like shitty London chains up here! Rather a family owned independent. To me, that is classy, although OP and he London pho-eating kids would probably die of fright at being offered pie and peas and trying to understand our accents 😂

When everyone was going I felt like my kids were somehow missing out. So I looked up the prices, wow.
I'll just stick with my caravan.. my kids can play outdoors, swim, surf and cycle in beautiful scenery. There are lovely coffee spots and cafes
And if I want the pool scene there are at least three leisure centres in my home city that have the whole wave machine/slides/ pirate ship set up.
What are people paying for? To feel like they're in nature? It.doesnt feel worth it.

@Pregnancyquestion 😆 do they have beacons above their heads?

People like the OP , who worry about such things .

I am scoffing at all of these people saying middle class people go here, or don’t go here, but I need to remember that while I’m now in a job and a marriage that would make me middle class and have the disposable income to have almost any type of holiday I want, I’m from a working class background so maybe middle class people are preoccupied with finding the perfect middle class thing to do - that’s not too middle class as that would be tacky lol.

I enjoy and feel comfortable anywhere - regardless of class association - from haven (never been to butlins, we were a haven family) to centre parcs to forest holidays - all different and depends what you want out of the holiday, to more independent places. We just go and enjoy it, if we don’t enjoy it, we don’t go back but it’s never because it’s not hitting our idea of what it means to be middle class.

Last went about nine years ago. We used to go quite often for long weekend breaks. We loved it. Big pool, outside play areas including a small beach, activities, it was perfect for a break with DC. It was handy to have everything onsite. DH loved the sports bar although it was always rammed! I remember it was expensive actually extortionate pricing for a break in schools hols. I wouldn't have called it tacky back then.

Aren’t you a complete delight.

Classism isn’t cool. Loser.

Errr...what?

Sorry, but do you think London has the monopoly on good food in the UK? 😂😂😂

We don't just eat beige in the North. True, we don't have Gail's, which I saw you mentioned earlier...but we do have loads of amazing independent food businesses, often using fresh local produce, many of which make much higher quality food than Gail's, and often cheaper too.

If you want a nice holiday, with nice food, and not packed in like sardines into a holiday camp...maybe try not going to a holiday camp? Obviously, smaller holiday sites will have fewer facilities, but there's often a village nearby. Or you could rent a cottage in a village/small town with a bakery, cafe etc

Well I had a chuckle or two at some of your descriptions. I am glad I don't ever want to go!

My best friend got banned for life at CP!! When she was 18, she went skinny dipping in the pool (after a few shots!). She
now a head teacher at an girls private school!😂 CP is definitely dated and over priced these days !

It’s expensive for what it is and I agree that it’s probably lost that specialness over the decades now that there are other great holiday options. However, I absolutely love it, mainly because it’s so familiar and it’s associated with many positive holiday feelings for me.
Also, I don’t agree with the middle classes don’t go to Starbucks statement. I think you sound a little bit snobby rather than CP being tacky. Who even talks in class terms now?

Bluestone all the way!!

We have only been to Center Parks once and to be honest I felt like I had been mugged. Tbh we only went because when I was a kid on a council estate I genuinely thought it was the height of class and sophistication as my posh cousins went every year. It was like when I got my first pay check and did my big shop in Asda and got “Chosen By You” which was their premium range…. I’m a sucker I know.

have you considered your 8 yo sounds like a moaning little brat, maybe you should have a chat with them about being grateful - some kids don’t get to go anywhere never mind whinge that the pool is too small and the bread isn’t fancy enough

I’ve never even been to center parks but if your inner city woodlands and Gail’s is enough for you maybe you should stay in your London bubble and enjoy your middle class life

if you want real wilderness and no chains go into the actual countryside, put up a tent and cook on a fire. You can bring artisan marshmallows from your wooded London high street to cook in case the local shops are too common for you.

It’s an overpriced holiday but you get to say you’ve been to centre parcs and everyone thinks your middle class. Whereas in reality it’s filled with middle class wannabes. The activities are rubbish most of the time it’s 20 min safety induction for a 40 min activity. No thanks.

have you considered your 8 yo sounds like a moaning little brat, maybe you should have a chat with them about being grateful - some kids don’t get to go anywhere never mind whinge that the pool is too small and the bread isn’t fancy enough

I’ve never even been to center parks but if your inner city woodlands and Gail’s is enough for you maybe you should stay in your London bubble and enjoy your middle class life

if you want real wilderness and no chains go into the actual countryside, put up a tent and cook on a fire. You can bring artisan marshmallows from your wooded London high street to cook in case the local shops are too common for you.

You need to go to park Dean or haven lol 😂

I've never been but I imagine it must absolutely fascinating....on an anthropological level 😂🙈

We went to the Penrith one absolutely years ago, must have been 15 or 16 years ago and I wasn't impressed then. The lodge was lovely to be fair, but the place felt small, the activities hideously expensive and poor, the restaurants over priced and tables were left uncleared and the pool grubby.

The red squirrels are fabulous though.

Would never go again, we have better woods and pubs within 5 miles of home, although the squirrels are grey.

Also I’m not particularly outdoorsy but Center Parcs gives you that illusion without the effort, nice flat 2 mile bike ride round the forest ‘trail’ but you feel outdoorsy and in nature 😅

Not sure about tacky, my main bugbear with it is that it's crazy expensive!

Been twice, both times with friends and their kids etc and both times just came away thinking it was too much ££ for too little.