Page 4 | To think Center Parcs really isn’t middle class

GodAgainstAll · 2023-12-30T16:04:16+00:00

Just spent a few days there for the first time. It’s expensive and the people there seem to be v affluent in terms of clothes/cars, but middle class? I was surprised.

dingledells · 30/12/2023 17:33

Wealth doesn't equal class.

Bang on. So many people done realise this- how!!?

Isn't that the point though? It's a security blanket to think class is not relevant to wealth. Plus class do me is very much linked to education & a good one these days cost money !

Verbena17 · 30/12/2023 17:34

Bunny2607 · 30/12/2023 17:09

We have just got back from 3 nights, i thought it was crap tbh and overpriced. The cabin stank, to the point they came and put a black box in to take out some of the smell which didn’t do anything. All our clothes had to be washed when we came home whether we had worn them or not, even our coats and my baby’s Bedding from the cot it was vile. £1300 for 3 nights absolute waste of money.

Such a shame! You can ask that they re-clean it. They arrange it for when you’re out usually.

Daphnis156 · 30/12/2023 17:35

The kind of people I know who go there are common.
As muck.

StillWantingADog · 30/12/2023 17:35

I find it quite an odd mix. Overwhelmingly white was the most obvious observation- would welcome any ideas as to why that would be.

you’d have to be affluent to be happy to pay school hols prices tbh. We only went before the kids went to school, during term time, in winter. Cheap as chips.

Tacotortoise · 30/12/2023 17:36

Spunking £40/child for a 1 hour "owl experience " seemed pretty middle class to me. As did baby pottery.

Sallyh87 · 30/12/2023 17:37

I’ve been a few times, not sure what class I am though. I wear a lot of primark but do read the guardian. Can you place me in my correct class OP?

PurpleWisteria1 · 30/12/2023 17:38

Usernamen · 30/12/2023 17:32

Yup. Spot on.

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It’s not always about money!!!!!
Why on Earth do people equate what class you are with how much money you have or don’t have?
If a working class person won the lottery they would not become middle / upper class overnight!!! They would never be anything but working class. Ditto if a middle class person became bancrupt! They would always remain middle class!!

secondtimemumma · 30/12/2023 17:39

Maybe you mean that you thought the people would seem more typically outdoorsy? (Which can be any class)

Bunny2607 · 30/12/2023 17:40

They did do 😂 came and sprayed air freshener and mopped the floors again.
i was hoping it would become a yearly tradition with our children as we went for the winter wonderland event, but the state of the cabin has put me off for life which is a shame as the lights and santa etc were amazing

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 30/12/2023 17:40

@clara778 , since when has ‘middle class’ ever meant ‘not needing to work’??

Bunny2607 · 30/12/2023 17:42

Verbena17 · 30/12/2023 17:34

Such a shame! You can ask that they re-clean it. They arrange it for when you’re out usually.

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Sorry forgot to tag the quote but have replied further up 😁

forcedfun · 30/12/2023 17:42

We are reasonably near a Butlins so go for day trips sometimes as the pool is good.
I agree there didn't seem to be any difference between the people who to to Butlins and the people who go to CP if that's what you mean?

So yes, definitely not MC although I don't really mind about that, what bothered me was how stupidly overpriced it all was. They seemed to treat their customers like idiots. We have been once to CP for a big group holiday and the children loved the pool and our lodge thing was ok but all other activities were twice the price of, and less good than, similar activities we could do outside of CP

QueenMegan · 30/12/2023 17:42

It's for people with no imagination to plan a proper adventure holiday so they end up in an upmarket Pontins with exactly the same types only the tattoos are hidden.

Calliopespa · 30/12/2023 17:44

Poblano · 30/12/2023 17:02

Agree with this. We've been going since the DC were babies, eldest is now 21. I can remember taking DS to toddler activities and the majority of the children there were accompanied by their nannies and not their parents. I don't think it's like that now.

Also worth remembering that private school holidays are longer than state school, so you may find more "middle class" guests during the weeks where their children are still off but state school children aren't (it will be cheaper then).

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What a relief: I’ll go then!🙄

I can’t actually understand why people want to holiday with masses of other people’s whinging children anyway.

catotangent · 30/12/2023 17:44

FKAT · 30/12/2023 16:20

Her problem is they were cashed-up enough to afford Centre Parcs in the school holidays but not quite her type.

Sounds like it

Hoglet70 · 30/12/2023 17:45

It's not middle class, it's just ridiculously expensive.

Poblano · 30/12/2023 17:48

Calliopespa · 30/12/2023 17:44

What a relief: I’ll go then!🙄

I can’t actually understand why people want to holiday with masses of other people’s whinging children anyway.

Edited

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I should probably point out that my DC are/were state educated, as was I. But if we weren't tied to the usual school holidays (as families with children in private school aren't) I would definitely not be paying school holiday prices for the exact same trip.

Verbena17 · 30/12/2023 17:48

Bunny2607 · 30/12/2023 17:40

They did do 😂 came and sprayed air freshener and mopped the floors again.
i was hoping it would become a yearly tradition with our children as we went for the winter wonderland event, but the state of the cabin has put me off for life which is a shame as the lights and santa etc were amazing

What did it smell of out of interest?
We have a dog villa every year and only once have we had to ask to have one recleaned…..and that wasn’t from smelling of dogs, it was because they had totally forgotten to mop the floors and my bare feet were black within 5 mins! I sent photos of my feet 😂 and they recleaned the whole villa the following morning.

Melonandfalafel · 30/12/2023 17:50

TBH while I don’t think it’s great value for money, £2/3k for a week in the summer for a family of 4 is quite good value.
Personally, I’d prefer to go elsewhere but I can see the appeal - it’s an easy family holiday - and the pool and sports hall works well, when the weather isn’t great. Although, I think the ‘experiences’ are overpriced.
I also agree that the restaurants are terrible - I just bought Cook meals for us.

Calliopespa · 30/12/2023 17:50

Dolphinbus · 30/12/2023 17:07

I don’t disagree with you OP! Can you be more specific about what you mean tho? I find it is priced to keep out the riff-raff, as purely money driven holidaymakers will go to butlins or haven instead since CP is expensive, but I find the standard of the accommodation isn’t up To middle class standards 😳 it’s gone downhill the last couple of years. I suspect the group that owns it are in financial difficulties.

Also, money doesn’t buy class… someone still took a $h!t in the pool when we were there last, closed the place down for half a
day while they cleaned it and emptied the water and refilled it.

Gosh! What kind of un-classy toddler would do that?

NearlyMonday · 30/12/2023 17:51

FKAT · 30/12/2023 16:20

Her problem is they were cashed-up enough to afford Centre Parcs in the school holidays but not quite her type.

Spot on!!!

renthead · 30/12/2023 17:52

It depends on how you view middle class I think. We went earlier this year for the first time with DH's family (WC). I also didn't think it fit the description of middle class. My parents are solidly MC in an academia-type way and have probably never even heard of CP! It's not something they would ever do. But I know other MC people who would, so who knows. But also, who cares.

Bunny2607 · 30/12/2023 17:52

Verbena17 · 30/12/2023 17:48

What did it smell of out of interest?
We have a dog villa every year and only once have we had to ask to have one recleaned…..and that wasn’t from smelling of dogs, it was because they had totally forgotten to mop the floors and my bare feet were black within 5 mins! I sent photos of my feet 😂 and they recleaned the whole villa the following morning.

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It smelt like an old people’s home tbh. And the fact they have black boxes they must know there is an issue!
it didn’t help that on the 2nd night both my children were sick which obviously isn’t their fault but they couldn’t get any cleaning products to us. I didn’t expect them to
clean sick up we were happy doing it but all we had was fairy liquid and a mop which was already there. So it couldn’t be disinfected or properly cleaned it was awful. They came again the morning after to mop but it still stank.

Calliopespa · 30/12/2023 17:52

dingledells · 30/12/2023 17:19

Also worth remembering that private school holidays are longer than state school, so you may find more "middle class" guests during the weeks where their children are still off but state school children aren't (it will be cheaper then).

The OP went when state educated people were allowed in?! What on earth did you expect? 🤮🤮🤮🤮

I hope she is fully vaccinated.

Squirre · 30/12/2023 17:53

I've got a family fund voucher to take dc to centre parcs next year. Would never have booked otherwise because of the expense. I know people who've gone via the family fund and we're all quite a mix and a few others who've paid who I wouldn't consider middle class. I imagine it's the same as most holidays were people pay it off through the year? So there's probably a mix of people there?