Lapland New Forest Scam. How to get money back...

JH808

Hi electromonkey: BBC South Today are looking for photos. Email: [EMAIL="sarah-jane.bungay@bbc.co.uk"]sarah-jane.[email protected][/EMAIL]. Photos also being posted on facebook: 'LAPLAND NEW FOREST IS RUBBISH AND NOT WORTH £25' and 'Lapland New Forest is a rip off! Don't go!'

Katom_2

We visited this place yesterday, I can only describe it a being a complete disappointment, everthing everyone else that has been mentioned is absolutely true.

GaryO

The Phone no for Lapland new forest is 01273 885811
Adress is 11A Coobe Rd
Brighton
E Sussex
BN2 4EB

cridders_2

in response to floth and your car you would have thoght they could at least tarmac they're own drive !!!!

bugchick

We went today and it was pretty awful. Photos and grumbling in my blog post
http://wehateworkbooks.blogspot.com/

electromonkey

A copy of the email I have just sent to Snow Business, I have to say their website and company look very professional, hopefully they will be interested in this?

To whoever it may concern,

From looking at your website your company looks like a very reputable and special operation. I am writing to alert you to the damage that might be being done to your company's good reputaion by being affiliated to the company trading as Lapland New Forset Inc. Having visited the attraction today I left feeling disgusted and on googling the name I have come across many forums with hundreds of complaints. Apparently this is being investigated by BBC Watchdog, BBC South Toaday, The Southern Daily Echo and The Sun Newspaper. I feel it is only right that this is brought to your attentiaon as your company is mentioned several times in Lapland New Forest's website, I urge you therefore to take time to read some forums and investigate this operation further.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I do hope that you can somehow join the growing number of famillies across the South Coast in doing something about this terrible situation.

email - [email protected]

wheeledwonder

Just been to http://www.babyandbump.com/christmas-forum/ and spotted this... one voice out of 100's see what you think.. I have a feeling it was written by an employee...


lapland YOU SHOULD GO!
Well I have read in complete the posts on this forum, and have attended the event that some of you describe as a con.

I have myself witnessed a scene set in a park that has been made to bring the magical feel to christmas to life in YES a natural rain soaked woodland in the New forest. To my amazement I cannot believe the critisism that this event is receiveing, an amazing back drop of lights up lighting along the tunnell, although this was witnessed at 6pm, the magical lighting through the tunnel and a back drop nativity scene lit up showing baby jesus, and the mud field is actually a sand dune effect, the husky pen then gives a feel of lapland as it opens into the show.

the log cabins may not be log, but are far from your cheap £99 B&Q sheds as described, the reindeer are not chained and actually come to the fence to be touched, the turkey, piglets pigmy goats and rabbits are gorgeous animals that children would love to see, the husky cabin is very informative, there is free facepainting, free balloon artist, free magicians plenty of helpful elves maybe not in costume that you would expect but dressed up non the less.

children are greeted by snowmen, santa, elves and all staff seem happy to help albeit being threatend and abused by ADULTS???????? I have never seen an event where a member of public assults a friendly member of staff and it was disgraceful to see someone willing to try and help being threatend by paying public, maybe the organisers should of thrown the lady in question off of the event? yes there are queing systems to any event with santa, and demand to see santa made queing a nightmare, but measures were taken to speed up the viewing.

with regard the photographs, some say £8, £10, £15 what one is it? i saw a sign for £8 i even heard yesterday that 2 guys had a fight over the last of icing sugar at the gingerbread hut, are british people just expecting too much these days for their money?

the toy shop was even being looted! has this country gone mad?

have you not all realised that this event is for children? I would go again, and im sure many others would as well.



on a few points, i think that people should arrive later in the day to get the effect of the tunnel of light, take provisions for standing in the good old british rainy weather, this is an outdoor event afterall.

just my views, but this event doesent need the grief it is getting, and you cannot compare entry to a theme park, because this is a winter land that is set to bring happiness for christmas for the CHILDREN!!!

and just for record I did see a container with snow buisness written on it today, so again i do believe that snow buisness have done the snow.

hope this helps some who may be looking to go, and remember it is just for the children.

Suziee

So is this event actually legal, only I was thinking of going. Presumably to have hosted something of this size the authorities must have given the necessary permissions, health and safety and all that. :eek: Are people actually alledging it is an event staged by gypsys purely to rip people off to the tune of a few hundred quid ?

cozza2107

Hi All,

Just wanted to say that all the negative you read is true.

It really is a scam, and the website totally misrepresents what awaits you.

I have read things like this before and thought 'Oh it can't be that bad!' But, it honestly is.

How can you expect young children to que outside in freezing temperatures for hours to see Father Christmas? They end up crying because they are so cold, but don't want to give up, it's agony. (Time we got to him, the photographer had done a runner, and everyone was just taking their own photos. So at least we didn't have to pay more for photos!)

I cannot describe how disappointed you will be. The website gives you such high expectations. But you won't find and 'real snowy log cabins' - they are just large garden sheds. Which get so cramped that it's hard for the kids to take any enjoyment in writing or drawing their pictures to send to Santa, on cheap paper, no care has been taken.

There were no signs of any potential sled rides, which the websites mentions. Can't get close to the two reindeer and the huskies seem traumatized by it all.

The nativity really is a joke. A BIG joke in that it is an enormous painted mural. At the end of a muddy field.

The website says, mud is not an issue, trust me it is. Make sure you have wellies with you. Parts of the car park are like sinking sand, muddy puddles. You are wet and cold before you start, if you're not dressed properly.

'Shamus' the famous elf who is meant to meet you in the car park, was no where to be seen. In fact it is only by luck you find the entrance. 'Shamus' certainly doesn't point you to where to meet Father Christmas. But don't worry the hundreds of people in front of you will point the way!

We never even found the Christmas stalls - I now believe there was a few with the fairground rides which we never visited. Didn't want to pay out more money - and line the pockets of the con men further.

The 'tunnel of light' is not 'breath taking' there is no 'wow' factor. It's just a few lights in some snowy trees.

My husband, children and I witnessed frequent arguments, as upset visitors took their frustration out on staff. The feeling of being 'ripped off' particularly in the current climate is hard to swallow. Generally the staff just seemed totally bemused by the whole situation, and I felt really sorry for them. I'm sure many of them won't go back tomorrow. The security team were constantly around trying to resolve disputes.

I heard one man say 'This has made me hate Christmas'.

Like everyone I'm just writing to try and stop people wasting their money. None of us deserve to go through this at this time, when we are all trying to make our money stretch and to create special memories for our kids.

I'll certainly be speaking to my credit card company tomorrow and to trading standards, the council etc.

libbifee

Good job to everyone who emailed or rang the Daily Echo! :T

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/3938371.Christmas_Lapland_attraction_branded_Blunderland/

I'm going to buy the newspaper today and have a look as well