Crapland

[The Gs Man]

Anyone else been following this story about the Lapland-style theme park in England?

Some laugh, although you'd be like a bear if you paid that amount of money for a ticket.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7762855.stm

A security guard at a Lapland-style theme park criticised by visitors as "hell" and a "scam" said he resigned because he was "ashamed to work there".

Adrian Wood worked in the security hut at Lapland New Forest which opened on Friday on the Hampshire-Dorset border.

He said he resigned after seeing a family take their mother out of a hospice to make the most of what could be her last Christmas.

Mr Wood also said he and other staff had been attacked by irate visitors.

More than 2,000 people who paid £25-£30 for tickets to the park near Ringwood have officially complained.

Hundreds of people want refunds and are calling for the closure of the attraction, complaining it does not resemble marketing images on its website.

  Santa got attacked, one of the elves got smacked in the face and pushed into a pram

Adrian Wood

The website became unavailable on Monday afternoon, but has since been republished with different pictures.

Trading standards officers said they had visited the site but do not have the power to shut it down.

"I quit late Sunday afternoon due to all the events that have been going on, the complaints and the violence towards myself and to other members of staff," Mr Wood told BBC News.

"But what put the final icing on the cake for me to walk out, was a family had taken their mother out of a hospice for cancer patients, who wasn't expected to see this Christmas.

"So they decided to bring her to Lapland to see the Christmas show.

"On getting there they found it difficult to get access with the wheelchair with the mother.


One visitor said the nativity scene had everyone she met laughing

"They were in a queue for nearly an hour-and-a-half in the pouring rain waiting to see Santa.

"If they'd stayed another two to three hours they would have seen him, but unfortunately the queues were that long it was ridiculous."

He said he felt "very, very sorry" for people who had visited the park.

"They have been ripped off," he said.

In the three days that he worked there he said he was "inundated with complaints".

"Santa got attacked, one of the elves got smacked in the face and pushed into a pram.

"I was punched in the forehead in the ticket office by an irate customer.

"I was ashamed to work there, really, really ashamed."

The theme park's website had shown pictures of snowy "winter wonderland" scenes and icicles.

Many people said they were disappointed by the Chistmas market

It also promised real log cabins, a nativity scene, husky dogs and other animals, as well as a "bustling" Christmas market.

Hundreds of people have complained to the BBC about the park since the weekend, saying the animals looked unhappy and huskies looked thin and were chained up in a pen.

Other facilities, including a broken ice rink, were poor, they said, describing the site as a "scam", a "joke", "disorganised chaos" and "hell".

Tickets cost £30 for individuals, £25 for each person for families of four or more, and £10 for children under two years old. Many said they had spent £150 for a family to visit.

Some complained they then had to pay more to use some of the facilities once inside the park.

Meanwhile, East Dorset District Council has stopped the sale of alcohol on site because an application for a licence had been granted but was not yet in force.

The RSPCA said it was investigating after receiving a number of complaints.

Henry Mears, who organises the park's marketing and advertising, told the BBC on Monday: "We don't believe we ripped anyone off. What is not here that we haven't advertised?"

He blamed "a few groups of professional troublemakers" for the allegations over the attraction.

Mr Mears has not been available for comment since Monday morning.

Unsatisfied customers have been advised by Consumer Direct to consider taking the matter to county court if writing a letter is unsuccessful.

The government-funded advice service has received more than 2,000 complaints about the theme park.

At least they had a polar bear:

[SidelineKick]

That looks more like a meercat that fell into a bucket of white paint!

I hate all of these sorta of things, from this crap to Disneyland. Complete rip-offs the lot of them.

[ziggysego]

Looks like the cat I was crashing around the garden this morning with a broom.

[Hound]

That looks more like a meercat that fell into a bucket of white paint!

I hate all of these sorta of things, from this crap to Disneyland. Complete rip-offs the lot of them.

Have you been to Disney?

I've been to Disney Paris twice with the kids. Loved it, and will go again. But granted it certainly wouldnt be the place for a cynic.

[SidelineKick]

Is it worth the money Hound? Perhaps its not correct for me to say I don't like something when I have never been but the whole commercial side of the thing annoys me.

Was it expensive?  If you say you'll go again you obviously think it is worth the money!

[thejuice]

Its pity they put that shite in the New Forest, thats a really beautiful place. Lots of real deer, wild horses and ponies running around.

[johnneycool]

Was there not some scammy snowland crap in Dublin and Belfast a few years back where fake snow was slush and everyone paid an extortionate amount to get in. The northern one was in the Kings hall and featured on UTV live at the time.

A fool and his money as the saying goes...

[armaghniac]

Well you can't fly to the real thing either

The Commission for Aviation Regulation has urged United Travel to wind down the company and refund customers.

More than 1,100 children and adults are booked with the agency to travel to Lapland during December, but at the moment it does not have a licence to operate.

The aviation regulator refused to grant the travel agent a licence because it was unhappy with the company's financial situation.

Con Murphy, Managing Director of United Travel, says he applied for a licence again this week, and he is hopeful that the passengers intending to travel to Lapland will be able to, whether with him or another agent.

[Bensars]

Heard a bit about his on the radio this morning. A mother of a young family was interviewed. They were supposed to go through a magic tunnel which consisted of a few conifers with polysterine (sp) sprinkled over them, a few christmas lights that werent working to arrive at a magical nativity scene. It turned turned out to be a  poster on a billboard.  The elfs were huffing because they hadnt been paid. The winterland chalets were a few small garden sheds from B&Q with the fake white stuff. When the women interviewed arrived at the grotto, santa was out the back having a fag !

[Square Ball]

Crapland 2 closed down as well.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7768957.stm

[corn02]

That looks more like a meercat that fell into a bucket of white paint!

I hate all of these sorta of things, from this crap to Disneyland. Complete rip-offs the lot of them.

Have you been to Disney?

I've been to Disney Paris twice with the kids. Loved it, and will go again. But granted it certainly wouldnt be the place for a cynic.

Ihave been to Disneyland a couple of times, just a few months ago too as I am a big kid really. Unreal, the rollercoatsers and everything are superb.