Centre Parks bosses have doubled back on 'inexplicable' plans to force guests to leave on the day of the Queen's funeral. The popular holiday resort will now allow guests on 'longer duration breaks' to remain in the village on Monday September 19 - although all facilities will be closed.
Centre Parcs had previously told guests that "as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment" they would be closing all their UK sites on the day of the state funeral.
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In an email to guests, they said that 'on reflection', they recognised that leaving the village for one night and then returning was 'extremely inconvenient' for visitors.
The new plans mean that the village will still close at 10am on Monday, and all facilities will close for the day. Guests will be offered a refund of 17% of their lodge costs.
Tracy Groome, 58, and her husband Vince, 60, from Bolton, are among the families affected by the changes. The pair have been waiting a year for their week-long trip at the Elveden Forest Center Parks village in Suffolk with their four adult children, two young grandchildren and extended family starting this Friday.
They told the Manchester Evening News they were fuming when they received the email asking them to leave.
Tracy, from Over Hulton in Westhoughton, said: "I'm cross. Really cross. When I first read the email and they said they were closing I thought they must mean the activities and restaurants etc which would have still been disappointing, but you could kind of understand.
"But then when I read they wanted us to actually up and leave I couldn't believe it. I was in total disbelief. I just don't know where they expect us to go?
"With our children grown up and living all around the country this is an important time for us as we all get to spend time together, and we get time with the grandchildren.
"They say want to allow staff to watch the funeral but they haven't thought about us. They haven't shown us any regard.
"We will now almost certainly miss it ourselves as we will be driving somewhere to stay the night. We were actually at Center Parcs for Princess Diana's funeral and thought it was ironic we'd be watching The Queen's funeral here as well. Now we won't see it at all."
In the email sent to guests today outlining their u-turn, Center Parcs said 'lots' of guests had contacted them who were 'upset' by the proposed closure, with guests on longer breaks said to be 'particularly' disappointed.
A spokesperson for Center Parcs said: "Like many businesses we have taken the decision to close all our UK villages on Monday 19th September. This decision was taken as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment.
"We have contacted all the guests due to arrive on Monday 19 th September and offered them a number of different options. Our villages will be open to welcome guests on Tuesday 20 th September. The vast majority of our guests are either due to arrive or depart on Monday 19 th September.
"We have however, reviewed our position regarding the very small number of guests who are not due to depart on Monday and we will be allowing them to stay on our villages rather than having to leave and return on Tuesday. The villages will still remain closed on Monday and we will be offering a discount for the lack of facilities available on that day."
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