Lapland New Forest complaints
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions
Watchdog update: the Lapland theme park has now closed down. There has been no official word so far from the people running the park.
Trading Standards statement
Dorset Trading Standards says it wants to take legal action and is currently taking advice from a specialist consumer barrister and the Office of Fair Trading in order to make sure they are in the strongest position to move forward.
The council is looking into a range of legal options, including how to help consumers get their money back and the action that can be taken against Lapland New Forest Limited for misleading consumers. It says that taking legal action can take some time.
People who have bought tickets for the event and are concerned about getting a refund are advised to call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506. Consumer Direct can offer advice and guidance on how customers can try to claim their money back.
If anyone has bought tickets on a credit card and spent over £100, they should contact their credit card company, as the company may be liable under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, 1974.
Further information and FAQ can be found at dorsetforyou.com.
Lapland West Midlands
A similar attraction in the West Midland has been cancelled. The park which promised on its website 'huskies, reindeer and cartoon characters on ice' was due to open on Saturday 6 December. The organisers said that it closed due to bad publicity and lack of ticket sales. The local council had come along to the planned opening and said they would have shut it down anyway as the organisers didn't have appropriate permission.
For more details see the BBC News website.
Staffordshire Trading Standards is advising people who bought tickets to the defunct park to contact PayPal, who processed the orders through the Lapland West Midlands Website. PayPal operates a Buyer Protection Recovery Policy that should provide a refund.
Further information and FAQ can be found on the Staffordshire government website.
Original report published on 2 December
Dozens of you have been in touch since the end of November to complain about a Lapland-styled theme park which has just opened in Hampshire, Lapland New Forest.
The 'winter wonderland' website, which is no longer accessible, promised guests that "the attention to detail of our theme park will truly wow you!"
Visitors were also tempted by pictures of huskies running through snow-covered landscapes and promises of a nativity scene, Santa Claus, a Christmas market and much more besides.
What was it, then, that led one guest to tell us that he could only describe the experience as a "complete and utter exploitation of the magic of Christmas" and another to say that Lapland New Forest was in fact a "huge scam affecting thousands of families in the south"?
The emails we've received have included complaints that the nativity "scene" was merely a painting, that the costumes were "filthy", and that the ice-skating rink "doesn't work". Some children even had to wait hours just to see Santa.
Worryingly, we were also told that "the animals are in a dreadful condition", with pictures showing huskies chained to wooden boxes. One park guest told us that they heard the huskies "screeching", while others have said that the animals looked "unhappy".
Another visitor, who spent nearly £500 on tickets for their whole family, left after less than three hours, 90 minutes of which were spent queuing for pictures of their children with Santa, costing £10 each. Indeed, a common complaint from many of you was that you had to pay for extras inside the park after having already spent £30 per person for entry alone.
In response
The response from the theme park isn't likely to offer much satisfaction to those who've written in about the tears shed by their children and grandchildren, upset at the attractions on offer at Lapland.
The BBC's Radio Solent managed to track down Henry Mears, who organises the park's marketing and advertising. He said: "We seem to have had a few groups of professional troublemakers and, like all people, they like to get into queues and just generate a bit of aggravation.
He insisted that they have "a beautiful, beautiful park, snow covered" and he said that when the lights come on in the evening "it takes the full effect."
In response to questions about people having to queue so much he said: "Well now it is quite obvious that the public just want to queue only to see Father Christmas, we're going to put some more grottos in.
"But I personally think there were loads of other people who really enjoyed it and I think that those people who enjoyed it weren't foolish enough to stand in a queue for an hour or so, just to see Father Christmas.
"The other half, the people who strolled around and took in the whole experience and then came back to see Father Christmas when the queue had gone, they all said they had a wonderful day."
If you have had any other Christmas-themed disappointments, let us know in the comments section below.
Read the latest on our updated Lapland report - 9 January 2009.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~36~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
Hi i am writing to say i think it is important that you know what was said for the staff training of this event.
On the wednesday before it opened, any one who had applied for a winter job at the lapland ( through an agency) had to go up to the site too look around and get an understanding of there job role.
When i first got there it seemed so unorganised and straight away i new this job wasn't for me. [Personal details removed by Moderator]
When walking around know one really seemed to know what they were on about and the whole place seemed like a building site.
hope this imformation will be some help
Complain about this comment
I should have suspected something when I read the website and saw the amateurish English grammar and punctuation. However, I was drawn in by the promise of an 'experience' and I just wanted to see the look on my 5-year-old son's face when he arrived at 'Lapland'.
After a 90-minute,100-mile round trip, we arrived having seen none of the promised road signs directing us to Lapland.
We then parked in their FREE car park - how can something be free when I've just shelled out £90? There was no sign of the promised elf who was supposed to greet us and take us to the magical tunnel of light so we made our own way. In fact their appeared to be no park representation at all, only a scattering of security guards.
Before we walked through the tunnel of light we decided to accept the invitation to cross the bridge to view the nativity scene. Another misrepresentation awaited as the so-called nativity scene was nothing more than a billboard in a ploughed field.
On to the tunnel of light, which wasn't a tunnel and there were no lights that I can remember. Another misrepresentation.
We then arrived in an area containing a few burger vans - the same as you see at any other outdoor event. At this point it dawned on me that the £90 we had paid entitled us to nothing other than entry to what was nothing more than a enthusiast could erect in his back garden. At this point I asked my wife, "so what is the £30 ticket price for"? she didn't know either.
A look round the log cabins followed. Call me naive but I expect log cabins to be built from logs. These were nothing more than the kind of shed available at any DIY store. Once inside there were a few sheets of paper and some pencils to write a letter to Father Christmas or draw a picture of what you want for Christmas. However, once a few families entered the 'log cabins' there was no room for anyone else.
On to see Father Christmas then. Well no actually as we weren't prepared to stand in the icy conditions for two hours. We can pay £5 at the local garden centre and not have to do that. Luckily, we had planned the whole thing as a surprise so my son was not expecting to see Father Christmas so instead we went straight to the BOYs Toys hut to exchange his ticket for a toy.
We then visited the fair and parted with more money to ride the dodgems and bungee rope trampoline - absolutely nothing was included in the ticket price.
I will try to get my money back but I don't hold out much hope. sadly, they will probably get away with it.
Complain about this comment
After all the news coverage I have spent 2 days trying to get hold of somebody as I want a refund on the tickets I bought to take my kids down as not wasting a total of 6 hours driving to walk round a muddy field. Surprise surprise web site shut down and nobody answers the phones.
Everybody should be refunded for ticket sales as very misleading advertisement for the people involved to obtain money from the general public.
Complain about this comment
We went on Saturday 29th when it was at it's best before the rain. It was bad then. Tunnels are supposed to be covered, it was a trough lined with recently felled trees sprayed with a light dusting of artificial snow. This led us to the "Nativity" scene, I was not aware that it was originally on the moon, a white bomb site!
We returned to the tunnel which brought us round to the main arena containing a pack of, I would say, racing Huskies.
Also in the arena were "log cabins" or large garden sheds containing seats for children to do activities. If they were a playschool, they would have been closed down. Apparently, one activity was "Gingerbread men decorating" no 'men or materials were available that early in the day.
Animals to see were piglets, geese, two reindeer, rabbits and disgruntled elves. I felt sorry for themas they were agency workers making a pitance for Xmas.
I am supprised that the RSPCA didn't shut the "Seasonal Food" down, oh sorry was it meant for us to buy at £5 a soggy baguette.
Nowhere was it apparent that one had to pay Santa £10 for a picture until you got in his hut. If you didn't pay, you could wave at him through the shed window and still get your unwrapped 50p made in China toy. All after a 90 min wait.
If there was parking for 1500 cars, a sell-out must average 6000 people. They knew how many kids to cater for!
Fairground rides were £2 and the ice rink was a paddling pool.
All this must add up to a complete mis-representation on what was advertised on the internet.
I hope for my grand daughter's sake you can do a Robin Hood and avenge us all. John
Complain about this comment
I have tickets to the lapland new forest, and after the press coverage and a personel opinion, I know longer want to take my five year old child. Any suggestions on how to get a refund? Like all parents I just want my child to have a wonderful day out and have spent £150 on tickets for ourselves and friends and would like to put that to use trying to find a real magical day for us all, any suggestions welcome??
The organisers should be ashamed of themselves in this economic climate everyone is trying spend wisely but this [Personal details removed by Moderator]is disgusting as its aimed at our children, at what should be a wonderful time of year for them all and us as parents revelling in there wide eyed youthful excitment!
Complain about this comment
hi sent previous message on sunday night but not sure if you received,but visited lapland new forest on sunday 30th nov.It was appalling nothing as described ,left after less than 40 mins only stayed long enough to get photos.Wait for santa was 2-3 hrs,santa was smoking outside.Costumes were dirty mismatched and cheap quality decorations inside sheds (sorry log cabins) were a few very poor qualoty cuddly toys and 2 pieces of tinsel.No xmas market no special effects no husky rides,nothing to do ,no toy workshop,no interaction with the children.Lots and lots of mud despite promises of a no mud site.WAS told by trading standards that website didn't have to display proper address other than po box but is this correct?[Personal details removed by Moderator]
Complain about this comment
Were due to go to Lapland Newforest tomorrow 5.12.08, obviously thats not gonna happen now!!! Have lost £100 and have 2 little girls who are distraught! I hope Mr Mears and all the others involved are pleased with themselves and I hope they all have a lovely christmas on me!!!!
Totally Disgusted that anyone can stoop that low.
Complain about this comment
i went to the halifax today, they said because i paid by visa debit, not a credit card we were not entitled to a refund. how wrong is this. i have lost £175 and have now had to pay £48 for my son to go to paultons to see santa. my tickets were booked for the 5th dec so surely the fact they closed on the 4th means i am entitled to a refund as they were in breach of contract.
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS