Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Center Parcs closing for funeral

543 replies

ViscountessBridgerton · 13/09/2022 12:43

Had the email to say Monday arrival delayed until Tuesday, can't get in until 4pm. 30% refund offered. From social media, it looks like people on a 7 night break are actually expected to leave at 10am on the Monday and not come back until Tuesday! People on a weekend break aren't being compensated for having to leave by 10am on the Monday.

AIBU to think wtf?!?!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
Suedomin · 13/09/2022 15:33

be honest why should they? I know that in theory guests can stay until midnight but realistically how many do
When we have gone we have been able to stay until 4pm on the day of departure and have always stayed until after lunch with a swim and activities first. We always factor in the day of departure as part of the holiday.
Center Parcs have always made a big thing of saying you can use the facilities on the day if departure so I think they absolutely should give a refund if they are not allowing that.

QuebecBagnet · 13/09/2022 15:34

10am Monday to 4pm Tuesday is effectively shutting for two days. Crap decision anyway but even if they feel they need to shut on Monday, why not open Monday evening or even first thing Tuesday. I genuinely think it’s to get out of paying staff bank holiday pay for cleaning on the Monday. If they get ext4a pay that is for a BH?

QuebecBagnet · 13/09/2022 15:35

And if I’ve been there for a weekend break I’ve always stayed till Monday evening. We live close by so spend the day swimming, have lunch, another swim, maybe a walk and then leave.

Heyyebskeikwbevg · 13/09/2022 15:37

So they have to pack up all their stuff and vacate for 24 hours? Then unpack it all again.

Bloody nightmare! Do they seriously think people will be ok with this?!

Suedomin · 13/09/2022 15:39

Their staff will thank them for the option to be part if a historical occasion
Really? I would be interested to know how many plan to watch the funeral and how many would prefer to work on Monday and take another say off instead.
They are open on Christmas day. I would guess that more staff would prefer to take Christmas day off .

SpinCityBlues · 13/09/2022 15:39

InPraiseOfBacchus · 13/09/2022 14:56

I came here interested to hear both views on this, but now all I can focus on is CentreParcs being considered a "luxury brand".

I'm sure I'll be called a Waitrose Aga Snob or something but, really?

I think it's quite expensive tbh

SpinCityBlues · 13/09/2022 15:41

I wonder what would happen if lots of people refuse to leave?

What will they do at 10.01am - call the rozzers? It sounds really badly thought through and a bit nuts.

MarshaBradyo · 13/09/2022 15:43

Heyyebskeikwbevg · 13/09/2022 15:37

So they have to pack up all their stuff and vacate for 24 hours? Then unpack it all again.

Bloody nightmare! Do they seriously think people will be ok with this?!

This is what I can’t get. How can they think it’s ok

I’m imagining a holiday with small dc, as many will have, and how much this would not go down well.

The holiday where you’re settled is meant to make up for the travel and faff, making a family do it mid holiday is like some weird stress test

Novum · 13/09/2022 15:43

Ginger1982 · 13/09/2022 13:30

Apparently you'd need to check out Monday at 10am and come back Tuesday at 10am.

Show quote history

That's ludicrous. I assume hotels aren't making people do this?

StarbucksSmarterSister · 13/09/2022 15:45

Finding staff is harder than finding guests.

I think that might change after this ...

notenoughtogoround · 13/09/2022 15:50

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 13/09/2022 14:58

They are offering partial refunds.

Someone has just said to me that they aren’t for people due to leave on the Monday

This is correct.

Benefi · 13/09/2022 15:52

That place gets more ridiculous by the day. Closing services for a few hours to allow staff to watch the funeral would be much more proportionate.

This.

I used to love Center Parcs. Absolutely loved it, but their decisions over Covid restrictions and now this makes me wonder if I'd ever go back.

BungleandGeorge · 13/09/2022 15:52

I noticed that center parcs was almost instantly booked up that weekend when the bank holiday was announced (so obviously lot of people not bothered about observing mourning). The sensible option if they wanted to close would seem to be departures by 10, arrivals after 4/5 and weekly guests to stay but close facilities. Bonkers to make weekly guests leave but I’m not sure how many weekly guests they get

Scianel · 13/09/2022 15:52

Yes just keep closing stuff down, after all we're in the habit now. I mean it's devastating to our already shanked economy but who cares.

Deguster · 13/09/2022 15:56

Reason to loathe CenterParcs #145,347 😂

Absolute shitsters for doing this. As is offering Swedish prison camp experiences for luxury safari lodge prices.

CP has been taking the piss for years!

vera99 · 13/09/2022 15:58

On the upside fanatical royalists have got their rural chalet home holidays sorted for the foreseeable. Long live the King.

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 13/09/2022 15:59

This is absolutely shocking. total own goal.

we went to CP once and have no desire to return, as holidays go it’s a crappy and expensive option.

mummabubs · 13/09/2022 16:00

aweegc · 13/09/2022 13:30

It would surely have been easier to close facilities and keep skeleton staff on 2x or 2.3x pay (or whatever) and provide screens and a place for those staff members to watch the funeral, barring being called to emergencies, than send EVERYONE home!

I've never heard of anything so ridiculous!

Absolutely this. Other places (Butlins and Bluestone) are doing this.
My sister has just had her much-longed for break cancelled and her two young children are gutted. I feel even more sorry for all the people who are being asked to leave for 24 hours, this is madness. Local hotels and b&bs are unlikely to have capacity at such short notice and I doubt CP would reimburseme the difference that families might have to pay. It's definitely made me think about whether we'll stay with them again in the future, as I suspect it will for many others too.

Viviennemary · 13/09/2022 16:02

It is absolutely ridiculous IMHO. I heard even supermarkets are going to be shut. No point in having a bank holiday if you can't actually do anything

pinok · 13/09/2022 16:04

Yep good point that the hotels etc people will need to stay at for one night are obviously staffed as well!

vera99 · 13/09/2022 16:05

They don't want you to do anything though do they just stay at home and watch the nation mourning with your head bowed. Show some respect taken to the next level.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 16:05

We’re booked for a short break next week and going to miss out, tempted to just book an air b n b for the week. Can not believe they’ve done this. I can’t see other hotels/holiday parks following suit so not sure why CPs staff are anymore important than anyone else - to those moaning on here about how they should be allowed to watch the funeral.

CP could have organised a big screen for staff and customers alike and saved themselves a lot of the hate they are currently getting.

this is my 3rd visit and to be honest last, what a joke this county has gotten.

I have a close family member who works in retail, a big supermarket chain, they’ve not been told they are allowed the day off and I suspect they won’t be, same for all the emergency service staff who have kept the uk running and will continue to do so on Monday, so that those who want to watch the funeral can. God forbid they might be allowed a day off too!

EllaPaella · 13/09/2022 16:06

Presumably all the staff will still have to work on Monday anyway checking people out and cleaning all the accommodation etc. fair enough to shut the restaurants for a few hours but everything else is just madness.

mam0918 · 13/09/2022 16:08

Jugglingeggs · 13/09/2022 14:37

Can I ask is it a school holiday next week ?
just wondering how so many families with children are booked in

not all children are in school you know?

Millions of families will be comprised of only kids under 5 years old + theres the % that 'home school' aswell so have more freedom.

I have 2 in school (14 & 4) and one not in school (1 year) and its only the 14 year old that schooling stops us going away.

My DS was just under the cut off age to apply to reception so is still in pre-school class with no legal obligation to attend.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 16:08

EllaPaella · 13/09/2022 16:06

Presumably all the staff will still have to work on Monday anyway checking people out and cleaning all the accommodation etc. fair enough to shut the restaurants for a few hours but everything else is just madness.

@EllaPaella exactly. I would have been more than happy to arrive with no facilitates (other than check in) and just go to our lodge to settle in for the evening. The funeral will be over with before check in at 4pm, giving staff plenty of time to get back to work/whatever it is that’s needed for CP to run…

i feel for those on a Friday to Friday break, to be told to leave Monday morning and not return until Tuesday is absurd!

I hope they really do lose some custom after this stunt of theirs!