Center Parcs closing for funeral

[ViscountessBridgerton]

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?!?!

I’m pretty certain that CP employees are contracted, but that doesn’t stop people phoning in sick, simply being unable to come in because of childcare.

In the last 10 years it seems to be a complete taboo for businesses to consider paying more when they can’t get staff. They even pay other staff bonuses to recruit people. Maybe if everyone was paid better there would be more loyalty and less staff turnover. And I can bet people would be queuing up to work BH’s if they were given double time.

Trending on twitter now, not surprised!

I went to a one-day festival in Forest Hill at the weekend a couple of hundred folks, many with families there had a great time from 1.00 pm to 10.30 saw many bands and not a single mention of the Queen's passing from any stage and a great time was had by all. Not by a long chalk is the whole country in mourning and the more they force this down our throats the fiercer the pushback will be.

Fanilies with preschool age children, home educating families and when we’ve been in September there are often people from Scotland as they have different term times to England.

Finding staff is harder than finding guests? You having a laugh?!!
Looks like we live in North Korea

I was actually being funny but presumably because I didn’t put ‘LIGHTHEARTED!!!11!!’ it wasn’t obvious enough.

Just googled. Cleaner job has this -

"You will be contracted to work 64 hours per 4-week period on a flexible basis. This means that your days and hours of work could vary each week, but you will always receive at least your contracted hours each period. Shifts will fall between 4.30am and 10.30am."

Terrible conditions and nobody working these shifts are using nurseries and very unlikely to be using childminders. They will be using relatives only.

How ridiculous. All they need to do is put a message out along the lines of
"Due to the funeral of QE2 there will be no housekeeping or leisure facilities available that day and we ask that guests checking out do so by 10 am"

"Due to QE2's funeral check-in date is now Tuesday 20th. You will be refunded for Monday"

Job done. Guests are aware of the change and nobody is forced to work.

You can't just cancel parts of holidays without offering a refund, the thundering dumkopfs.

They are offering partial refunds.

Kicking everyone out at 10am Monday seems a bit bonkers - the staff will need to be there for that so surely that means their chances of being home or in front of a tv at 11 for the funeral are slim?

from our recent trip to CP, the cynic in me says this is partly to save money.

they’ve cut back on so much already the place isn’t luxurious as it was by any means

Absolutely this! I was at a charity fair, went to the shopping outlet early evening and it was very busy with eating places full on Saturday, numbers at the kids sports club on Sunday were no lower than normal (if anything they were a bit higher) and one parent thanked us for not cancelling because the kids have missed so much in the last few years.

Finding staff is harder than finding guests

I'm sure that won't be an issue soon, in a cost of living crisis there won't be any guests, as people will only spend their money where they can be sure of getting a refund if the provider cancels.

They certainlywon't be spending it on Centreparcs, trousering the cash for thousands of holidays and short breaks while saving money by closing the parks for a day.

I'm sure it's what Her Majesty would have wanted. Making money out of a day of national mourning.

They haven’t offered housekeeping for years now!

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?

That’s absolutely ridiculous

A hotel I know is closing for part of the day. They'll do Monday breakfast for guests already there, and then reopen for check ins and bar /dinner from 5.

I think it’s stupid. It’s leaving a lot of people in the lurch.

People shouldn’t be needing to find alternative accommodation for one night because CP are closing.

Surely the obvious solution is check out by 10am, no check in until 7/8pm. Those who are mid break fine to stay but anything that requires staffing will be closed except for a few key security staff.

Everyone is happy then

They are offering partial refunds.

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

They might be offering refunds for those on a week break but we'll get nothing for out Friday to Monday despite having the Monday as part of our holiday. We'll just have to drive home instead early and not even be able to stop for a meal on the way as it'll all be closed.

Very few people stay at CP for 7 days, it is marketed much more as a short break holiday, either midweek or long weekend. When we used to go, the prices were only shown for weekend or midweek. If you wanted to go for 7 days you in effect added 2 breaks together.

I'm sure they will have to revise their thinking for those who are staying Friday to Friday. Have skeleton staff and close activities/restaurants etc on the Monday but don't boot the holiday makers out

Go on then, show me another holiday park that is pitched to this end of the market with these price tags.

I'm really glad they're closing. Their staff will thank them for the option to be part of an historic occasion.