Page 15 | Center Parcs closing for funeral

ViscountessBridgerton · 2022-09-13T11:43:33+00:00

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?!?!

TempName01 · 13/09/2022 17:42

I can’t understand why people (the general public) need a day off to grieve or mourn. I see that there would be interest in watching the funeral as a historic event but a lot of workplaces could have coverage on or people could watch it later. I’m just really confused by the whole thing and all this unnecessary upheaval.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 13/09/2022 17:44

I wonder if they can actually do this legally as they have a contract with you when you paid for the holiday?
Obviously no one knew the queen was going to pass on Thursday but they're being ridiculous.
YANBU

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 13/09/2022 17:44

tenbob · 13/09/2022 17:10

But that still doesn’t explain kicking people out for 30 hours.

fine, close the activities, pool and restaurants, don’t have housekeeping in for the day

But if anything, they will need MORE security staff to go from lodge to lodge checking everyone has gone, securing them, checking the taps haven’t been left on or windows open.

There is no way they can deal with a mass exodus of the entire park at once with the usual number of staff, it’s chaos enough when they do staggered departures
The roads inside will be mayhem with all the cars because they aren’t set up to deal with the concept of everyone arriving or leaving at once, just a 30% turnover or whatever

It is insanity! The whole thing feels like it was an accidental knee jerk tweet from a social media intern and the whole company has now had to follow through on it.

I would love to be a fly on the wall at CPHQ today, especially in their PR dept

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This is a really good point actually, stopping people from just hanging around is going to be quite labour intensive. I did think it might be because of staff wishes until I read this.

antelopevalley · 13/09/2022 17:46

Ducksurprise · 13/09/2022 17:19

To be honest why should they? I know that in theory guests can stay until midnight but realistically how many do? We are due to leave Friday and I suspect we’ll be out before 10am.

We stay until the children are ready for bed, so a whole day of activities, swimming and then a meal onsite, then children changed into pj's teeth brushed etc into car so they slept all the way home and we carried them into bed. I would be gutted.

We used to do this too. We lived close to one. And that is why we went when the kids were young. Plenty of other people did too.
To be honest I never saw the point of travelling a long way for them. There are better options if you are prepared to do that.

Sleepdeprived42long · 13/09/2022 17:49

Mondays are one of CP main changeover days-I think they have a lot of staff that only work Monday and Friday to clean lodges etc. I imagine they are trying to cater for those staff-who I imagine might leave if they feel CP are not a good employer. What I don’t understand thought is why not just change changeover day to the Tuesday instead and close entertainment/activities on Monday and just have skeleton staff.

EffYouSeeKaye · 13/09/2022 17:50

This is absolutely crazy. I’m not booking for next year now in case they do the same thing for the Coronation.

carmenitapink · 13/09/2022 17:52

This country needs to get a grip.

With I player and modern tech people can watch it anytime.

The sole reason there's a bank hol is because otherwise they can't guarantee the streets will be lined with enough people to convince everyone that the whole country is obsessed with the RF.

MsFogi · 13/09/2022 17:53

uncomfortablydumb53 · 13/09/2022 17:44

I wonder if they can actually do this legally as they have a contract with you when you paid for the holiday?
Obviously no one knew the queen was going to pass on Thursday but they're being ridiculous.
YANBU

I think they will be on shaky ground given that they are open on all other bank holidays and this one is not any more "special" than others!

Roselilly36 · 13/09/2022 17:53

uncomfortablydumb53 · 13/09/2022 17:44

I wonder if they can actually do this legally as they have a contract with you when you paid for the holiday?
Obviously no one knew the queen was going to pass on Thursday but they're being ridiculous.
YANBU

I am sure they will have a Force majeure clause in the t&c’s

RainydaysandFridays · 13/09/2022 17:53

What they’ve done is totally unacceptable- CP is a load of overpriced rubbish anyway, who will now find itself bereft of future trade should it stick to this decision.

MsFogi · 13/09/2022 17:54

Roselilly36 · 13/09/2022 17:53

I am sure they will have a Force majeure clause in the t&c’s

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There is no way the Queen dying or an unexpected bank holiday is a Force Majeure!!

QuebecBagnet · 13/09/2022 17:55

If I was there for the weekend and had to leave at 10am on Monday I’d be taking them to the small claims court for a 25% refund because as far as I’m concerned they’ve cancelled 25% of the holiday.

Lalliella · 13/09/2022 17:55

Why can’t they close the site and facilities for a few hours but let people stay in their accommodation? How does that need staff? It’s ridiculous to expect people to leave for 24 hours then return.

BeBraveAndBeKind · 13/09/2022 17:56

They were just talking about this on LBC with their legal expert. Apparently Centre Parcs don't have a legal leg to stand on because it's not covered in their contract.

It was on Tom Swarbrick's programme about 10 minutes ago if anyone wants to listen on catch up.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 17:57

Sleepdeprived42long · 13/09/2022 17:49

Mondays are one of CP main changeover days-I think they have a lot of staff that only work Monday and Friday to clean lodges etc. I imagine they are trying to cater for those staff-who I imagine might leave if they feel CP are not a good employer. What I don’t understand thought is why not just change changeover day to the Tuesday instead and close entertainment/activities on Monday and just have skeleton staff.

The thing is there are so many staff who work in hospitality who will be working Monday, no other hotels have announced closures, nor any other holiday parks so I can not understand why CP have made such a huge decision like this that will really impact on their future custom.

I think most people who work in hospitality are used to having to work the bank holidays, not that it’s right or fair but it’s something you take into account when you take the job. My brother works in hospitality and will be working Monday, the customers where he works would be furious if the places closed..

NHS staff rarely have bank holidays off and work over Xmas etc in hospitals I would hope that they wouldn’t leave their jobs just because of this decision.

it just seems a ludicrous decision to have made. Will be interesting to see if any other holiday parks follow suit, woukd hope not given the terrible reaction this has caused.

Florenz · 13/09/2022 17:57

Good on Centre Parcs. For once a company is putting staff ahead of demanding customers.

HintofVintagePink · 13/09/2022 17:58

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 13/09/2022 17:23

No. We stayed weekend before last at a 2 storey lodge and there was a note on the board for us but no chalk to use. This was Longleat

We were at longleat last week and we did have chalk.

Not the point of the thread I know. I'm so glad we were there last week, not next week!

Well now I’m even more cross 😂

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 13/09/2022 18:00

Sleepdeprived42long · 13/09/2022 17:49

Mondays are one of CP main changeover days-I think they have a lot of staff that only work Monday and Friday to clean lodges etc. I imagine they are trying to cater for those staff-who I imagine might leave if they feel CP are not a good employer. What I don’t understand thought is why not just change changeover day to the Tuesday instead and close entertainment/activities on Monday and just have skeleton staff.

Aren't the cleaning staff on zero hours contracts? And they will now be just told to work Tuesday instead, regardless of whether they generally just plan to be working Mondays and Fridays and therefore plan, for example, their childcare around that. Doesn't seem massively considerate of staff.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 18:00

@Florenz i guess you are saying that because you’re not staying at CP and therefore are not affected by their disastrous decision.

Would love to see how you would react if it was your holiday being ruined by this decision.

are the NHS/Police/ambulance service and others a bad employer for not putting their staff first then?

woukd you be saying this if the hospitals/police decided to shut shop and you were relying on their services on Monday… I think not!

AclowncalledAlice · 13/09/2022 18:00

Florenz · 13/09/2022 17:57

Good on Centre Parcs. For once a company is putting staff ahead of demanding customers.

But working Christmas day is fine, they don't give a hoots about staff when it suits them. This is just virtue signalling at it's worst.

Topseyt123 · 13/09/2022 18:01

Roselilly36 · 13/09/2022 17:53

I am sure they will have a Force majeure clause in the t&c’s

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I think Force Majeure is mainly to cover natural disasters such as war, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, floods and earthquakes.

Not sure it could realistically cover the death of the Queen.

SpinCityBlues · 13/09/2022 18:01

Florenz · 13/09/2022 17:57

Good on Centre Parcs. For once a company is putting staff ahead of demanding customers.

It's not really, is it, if the company goes down the shitter for a Ratners moment

vera99 · 13/09/2022 18:01

If Center Parcs customers are looking for a place to stay on Monday night, they could always try holding up a sign that says ‘not my king’ and I’m sure the Metropolitan Police will find them a room.

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 13/09/2022 18:02

I am sure they will have a Force majeure clause in the t&c’s

But center parcs have chosen to do this, not been forced to. Isn't force majeure about unavoidable things?

Deux · 13/09/2022 18:02

Roselilly36 · 13/09/2022 17:53

I am sure they will have a Force majeure clause in the t&c’s

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There was a lawyer on the radio just talking about this and he’s gone through the Ts and Cs and his advice for anyone there for a week was to stay put as there was nothing in the Ts and Cs that covers this situation.

He also pointed out the death of the queen was a foreseeable event (not exact date obvs) and they should have had an emergency/contingency/readiness plan to deal with such an event.