Center Parcs backtracks over eviction of holidaymakers for queen’s funeral

Center Parcs has backtracked after facing accusations of “ruining people’s holidays” by announcing it would close its UK sites for 24 hours from Monday morning to mark Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.

Earlier on Tuesday the holiday company had announced that guests at its five UK parks would have to leave by 10am on Monday, even if they are in the middle of their stay, and will not be able to return until the same time on Tuesday morning.

The company said in a statement it had made the decision “as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment”. It added: “We hope our guests will understand our decision to support our Queen on her final journey.”

The decision meant that any guests who were in the middle of their holiday on Monday would have to spend the night elsewhere, or otherwise go home early. Center Parcs told holidaymakers on social media that while they would have to vacate the park overnight, they could leave their belongings in their accommodation.

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However, on Tuesday evening, after an outcry on social media and widespread negative press reports, the company said that it had “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”.

It said there would be no facilities available in its holiday villages on Monday and would offer a discount to customers to reflect this.

The company is still asking people who were due to arrive on Monday to delay their arrival until the following day.

Center Parcs, which is owned by Canadian investment firm Brookfield Property Partners, said the “vast majority” of guests were scheduled to arrive or depart on Monday.

Customers had expressed their anger at the company’s initial decision on social media.

One of those affected wrote on Twitter: “You have ruined our family holiday that we have been saving and eagerly awaiting for months! There is no acknowledgment of the wider impact to your customers; our wasted holiday booked off work, further travel costs.”

Another customer tweeted: “What do you propose we do on Monday as we have nowhere to go, and it’s too far for us to drive home, and then drive back the next day?”

A third called it “an absolutely shocking decision”, adding that they were “travelling from the other end of the country” and would now have to “scramble to find alternative accommodation at this late stage”.

Some customers complained that their travel costs would not be refunded if they had to cancel, while others said there were waiting times of up to an hour to get through to the Center Parcs customer service team on the phone.

Center Parcs said all customers affected by its decision would receive an email on Tuesday explaining the options available to them, including refunds and cancellations.— Guardian