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AIBU?

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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
ItsJustLittleOlMe · 13/09/2022 18:47

PersonaNonGarter · 13/09/2022 12:53

YABU.

Centre Parcs have staff. Staff that are difficult to recruit and retain. This time they have prioritised their staff over their guests. They are also being respectful.

Surely they could ask their staff who wants to work the Monday and who would like it off. And allow customers to stay in the accommodation and just stop activities etc for the day?

I think CP can show respect while not expecting everyone to vacate their accommodation and return the next day.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 18:47

Florenz · 13/09/2022 18:37

If it's true that the staff aren't being paid it's a different story and I change my mind. The staff should be paid. If they can get enough people willing to work to keep the centres open with minimal facilities they should stay open. But no-one should have to work on the day of the funeral other than emergency services and other vital services. Centre Parcs is not a vital service.

Neither are shops or pubs a vital service but guess you’re ok with that as it’s not CP.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 18:48

Hugasauras · 13/09/2022 18:37

Surely plenty of people are in jobs and industries where it's not possible to have bank holidays? I don't get bank holidays with my job - they just get added to my holiday entitlement as I work in the media and we have to produce the same volume of content every day regardless. In fact Monday will be the busiest day in many years for us - we have more people working than we would usually!

So I don't really get the handwringing about having to work it. Give everyone an extra day holiday to take at their leisure and you can watch the funeral on iPlayer like the many other people who have jobs that can't just stop for a day.

This.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 18:51

Eaumyword · 13/09/2022 18:44

So bizarre it surely can't be true?!
I'd have thought a nice compromise would be to shut staff led activities down for 2hrs while the funeral is on, then open back up? Still allowing guests to stay onsite and watch the funeral or go for a walk etc.

Exactly this. As someone who was supposed to be arriving on Monday I would have had no issue whatsoever with this.

also would have had no issue with being in our lodge and not having any take away/food outlets open for the Monday.

They’ve really gone too far on closing the whole place down. How are the other holiday parks coping. Are airports closing to allow their staff time off… it’s insane!

SummerHouse · 13/09/2022 18:51

What a mess.
I would not want to be working there with. I would not be thanking my employer for this.
Refunds being offered makes me think that this can't be a financial decision.
I think it's one of those unprecedented situations where people will get it wrong.
My organisation was told last week that no one would be getting the day off. Today it's everyone who can, will, whilst maintaining the service.
I would think a u turn is on the cards here.

FettleOfKish · 13/09/2022 18:51

whenwillthemadnessend · 13/09/2022 18:33

I'm away over the funeral booked two years ago and been moved twice due to lockdown. We decided to go ahead and watch the funeral in the hotel.

As far as I know we are still able to to have the room the day of the funeral. It's in jersey and not center parcs

Centreparcs are being absolutely ridiculous.

At risk of being wildly outing, if any hotel in Jersey had tried to pull the same ridiculous stunt I'd be aware of it. You'll be fine @whenwillthemadnessend Wink 

(And if the worst were to happen and they followed suit, DM me and I can help).

Some of our pubs will be open and showing the funeral too; and parish halls, if you don't want to sit holed up in your room.

Thesearmsofmine · 13/09/2022 18:53

We are going away to another well known holiday park chain(not as fancy as CP) and they are simply not running any activities during the hours of the funeral and then reopening after. I don’t understand why CP (or anything really) needs to be closed all day?

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 18:53

@FettleOfKish this is making me want to cancel my CP holiday and book to go to Jersey instead!

I can’t imagine many other holiday destinations following in CPs footsteps on Monday now either.

Notlosinganyweight · 13/09/2022 18:55

As an aside, I wonder how P&O are doing now? Is this a CP P&O moment?

The greed of some of these companies is hilarious - pretty sure it's a cost saving exercise more than anything and they are being opportunistic. If they aren't, they are stupid for not seeing it would be seen as just that. Are these people that out of touch and see us as so far beneath them that they don't think this will bite them back in the arse hard in the future?

vera99 · 13/09/2022 18:55

An absolute car crash on their FB page - maybe their social team have walked off the job.

www.facebook.com/CenterParcsUK

MarshaBradyo · 13/09/2022 18:56

It reminds me of P&O too

FettleOfKish · 13/09/2022 18:57

The best way I've seen it described on Twitter is 'commercial self-harm'.

Their staff may be able to watch (some, by the sounds of a poster above) of the funeral, but unfortunately they'll likely suffer days of disgruntled guests, an absolute shit-storm on social media, and quite possibly a downturn in business generally.

Not exactly going to boost anyones morale is it?

EmmaH2022 · 13/09/2022 18:57

Florenz · 13/09/2022 18:37

If it's true that the staff aren't being paid it's a different story and I change my mind. The staff should be paid. If they can get enough people willing to work to keep the centres open with minimal facilities they should stay open. But no-one should have to work on the day of the funeral other than emergency services and other vital services. Centre Parcs is not a vital service.

So you thought staff were being paid for time off, I see

but you still thought it was fine for people in the middle of a holiday to have to vacate the resort for 30 hours?

EmmaH2022 · 13/09/2022 18:59

Notlosinganyweight · 13/09/2022 18:55

As an aside, I wonder how P&O are doing now? Is this a CP P&O moment?

The greed of some of these companies is hilarious - pretty sure it's a cost saving exercise more than anything and they are being opportunistic. If they aren't, they are stupid for not seeing it would be seen as just that. Are these people that out of touch and see us as so far beneath them that they don't think this will bite them back in the arse hard in the future?

P&O are doing fine though aren’t they? Sadly shitting all over employment rights is very easy.

SpinCityBlues · 13/09/2022 18:59

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 13/09/2022 18:10

Good point. People surely aren't going to be willing to risk leaving for a day in the middle of the holiday. They're going to either cancel it all or stay put regardless.

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I'd stay put. What are CP going to do?

MarshaBradyo · 13/09/2022 19:00

Florenz · 13/09/2022 18:37

If it's true that the staff aren't being paid it's a different story and I change my mind. The staff should be paid. If they can get enough people willing to work to keep the centres open with minimal facilities they should stay open. But no-one should have to work on the day of the funeral other than emergency services and other vital services. Centre Parcs is not a vital service.

Imo to treat staff well extra pay and a choice should be offered and higher rates to temp staff also

It would cost which is the issue as it’s unexpected BH their rates wouldn’t be high enough - apparently they increase them usually on BH

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 13/09/2022 19:01

GhostFromTheOtherSide · 13/09/2022 13:01

Centre Parcs have staff. Staff that are difficult to recruit and retain. This time they have prioritised their staff over their guests. They are also being respectful. they’re open on Christmas Day, so where’s the understanding for their staff then?

I realise some businesses are closing for the day, John Lewis/waitrose and a lot of others but that’s no different to those being closed on Christmas Day for instance, plus there’s a strong likelihood that business will be down anyway, but CP are clearly trying (and failing) to look like they’re so respectful.

This has the potential to backfire on them spectacularly.

I'd be interested to know if all the staff are having a day off. I worked in retail when there was the extra bank holiday for the Golden Jubilee. Store was shut but we were all still in tidying up.

vera99 · 13/09/2022 19:03

Iain Dale on LBC included it in his opening taking points for the night.

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 13/09/2022 19:03

It would cost which is the issue as it’s unexpected BH their rates wouldn’t be high enough - apparently they increase them usually on BH

Yes, we looked at going for a Friday-Monday trip next year and for the weekend with the May bank holiday Monday it was £350 more than the weekend before. They won't have been able to charge the higher rates for this weekend's bank holiday.

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 19:08

EmmaH2022 · 13/09/2022 18:57

So you thought staff were being paid for time off, I see

but you still thought it was fine for people in the middle of a holiday to have to vacate the resort for 30 hours?

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Well said @Florenz probably needs to stop commenting now…

Swedecabbagelime · 13/09/2022 19:12

They just don’t want to pay staff bank holiday pay when they’ve not had the chance to charge customers bank holiday rates. I think they’re banking on it being so last minute people won’t cancel. I’d bloody cancel for a full refund and take my business elsewhere.

TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael · 13/09/2022 19:17

Wonnle · 13/09/2022 16:58

Not a single thing will be open on Monday

You best ring my boss then and tell him I won't be in Monday because you said we weren't opening.

TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael · 13/09/2022 19:23

Florenz · 13/09/2022 17:57

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

Oh don't be such a virtue signalling clown. Nobody is buying it so save yourself the trouble.

Florenz · 13/09/2022 19:32

Housebytheseanc · 13/09/2022 18:47

Neither are shops or pubs a vital service but guess you’re ok with that as it’s not CP.

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Shops and pubs should shut too.

vera99 · 13/09/2022 19:35

You're just trolling now - we live in a free country governed by the rule of law. Long may that reign.