When parents discovered there was no train ride, and the queues to the grotto became so long that their children couldn't get in, some parents began swearing at staff, who were dressed as elves, fairies and a Christmas tree. Penny said: "One man even verbally threatened the lady who is dressed as a Christmas tree. One of the elves was so upset that she has resigned. It was a complete nightmare. Children were crying and upset."
Organiser Penny said most of the abusive parents had come down to the grotto in York with their vouchers from Newcastle during last weekend's St Nicholas Fayre, a popular Christmas market in the picturesque city. She said the grotto was only able to handle 40 children an hour, but dedicated staff had worked beyond their normal hours and without breaks to try to ensure excited children did not miss out. Penny had initially been contacted by Groupon and agreed to use its services to help publicise the grotto, but she claimed she had never signed a contract and had never said there would be a train ride.
She thought the York grotto, which runs in York's winter wonderland until Christmas Eve, might have been mixed up with a grotto she ran in Hull, where there was a train ride. A Groupon spokesman said: "Owing to a technical error, we apologise that the picture and wording used in this promotion may have indicated that a train ride was available at York Winter Wonderland when this wasn't the case. We regret any disappointment this may have caused."
1 comment:
"We regret any disappointment this may have caused."
Disapointment? What about the fact that idiotic groupon customers actually threatened staff? What about the woman who was so upset she resigned? What about all those people who drove all the way from Newcastle to York?
Regrets are not nearly enough.
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