A family from Bolton say they have been left fuming and their holiday plans thrown into chaos after Center Parcs announced guests would have to leave their resorts on the day of The Queen's funeral.
Tracy Groome, 58, and her husband Vince, 60, booked a week-long trip at the Elveden Forest Center Parks village in Suffolk for their four adult children, two young grandchildren and extended family starting this Friday .
However, the family, who booked the trip more than a year ago and have been hugely looking forward to it, have now been told they will have to move out for a night in the middle of their trip which set them back £2,500.
READ MORE: Center Parcs guests told not to travel as all villages to close for Queen's funeral
They received an email from the company this morning (Tuesday) saying that "as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be [art of this historic moment" they would be closing all their UK sites on the day of the state funeral, next Monday, September 19.
It means guests must leave their sites by 10am on Monday morning and will only be allowed to return from 10am on Tuesday. Tracy and Vince are now desperately trying to find a night's accommodation in order to save their cherished family trip.
Tracy, from Over Hulton in Westhoughton, said: "I'm cross. Really cross. When I first read the email and they said they were closing I thought they must mean the activities and restaurants etc which would have still been disappointing, but you could kind of understand.
"But then when I read they wanted us to actually up and leave I couldn't believe it. I was in total disbelief. I just don't know where they expect us to go?
"They must be expecting local hotels to take us but we have two young children and two dogs so that's proving very difficult for us. It may end up with half of us staying in London at my daughter's flat and the other half in Northampton where my son lives. But we'd be literally sleeping on the floor as there's so many of us.
"I have heard of several people in much worse positions than us as well, people with disabled children, children with autism who won't cope well with the disruption.
"I just really don't think they have thought it through. They are open on Christmas Day and other holidays surely they could get the staff to just let us stay on site. I just don't understand it.
"They've told us we can leave on Monday - but that way we'd have only had two days -or arrive Tuesday, meaning we'd only get three days. Or they've said we can cancel it altogether.
"With our children grown up and living all around the country this is an important time for us as we all get to spend time together, and we get time with the grandchildren.
"They say want to allow staff to watch the funeral but they haven't thought about us. They haven't shown us any regard.
"We will now almost certainly miss it ourselves as we will be driving somewhere to stay the night. We were actually at Center Parcs for Princess Diana's funeral and thought it was ironic we'd be watching The Queen's funeral here as welll. Now we won't see it at all.
"I find it completely inexplicable. It's a very poor business decision and a very poor way to treat customers, loyal customers. We have been coming to Center Parcs for years but are seriously considering never coming back now."
The Manchester Evening News has contacted Center Parcs for comment. A spokesperson told ITV: "Like many businesses, we have taken the decision to close all our UK villages on Monday 19 September.
"This decision was taken as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment. We have contacted all the guests due to arrive on Monday 19th September and offered them a number of different options.
"Our villages will be open to welcome guests on Tuesday 20 September."
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