Monday 3 October 2011

The Company That Prefers To Lose Money

Kerry Johnston and Gareth Foster, of Lowdham, went to Wheelgate Adventure Park in Farnsfield to see the animal attractions.

The couple, who keep chickens, were shocked to be told at the gate they could not go in.

The park says on its website that no all-adult groups are allowed but Miss Johnston, 32, a software tester, said she was angry when the receptionist said they couldn't go in.
They had no children with them. That’s the sole reason?

Is this some kind of joke?
She said: "I couldn't believe it. It just seems ridiculous to me. The car park was almost empty because we went in the first week of September when the kids were all back at school.

"So they were turning away profit when they weren't busy, its just illogical."
Well, the whole ‘paedo panic’ is illogical, so when you start from there, you’re unlikely to wind up anywhere sensible, frankly.

And it is their business, so if they want to turn away trade, that’s up to them...
Last year the couple visited Wheelgate's sister park in Devon and had no problem getting in.
So does Devon not have a problem with unaccompanied adults?

Stranger and stranger…
Mr Foster, 30, a software programmer, said the policy seemed bizarre.

He said: "After we were refused entry, we thought 'what if we couldn't have children?'

"It would be very upsetting for a couple to be turned away if they were unable to have kids. I just think it's very discriminatory."
Nice try at playing the Victimhood Poker game, but I think you’re trumped.
Miss Johnston added: "I can understand that they might have a fear of lone paedophiles in a park full of children, but we are a couple who just have an interest in animals and it's wrong to tell us we can't enjoy something just because we don't have children yet."

She said she had complained to the park in writing but had not received a response.
Frankly, it sounds a lot like a company I would go out of my way to not give any further custom!
Sandy Gyorvari, manager of Wheelgate Park, said: "As a company policy we do not allow any all-adult or all-child groups into the park. We share this policy with other parks such as Gulliver's Kingdom in Matlock Bath.

"The three parks in our group in Mansfield, Melton Mowbray and Devon are all about families interacting, that is our target audience as all our rides are geared at children."
But what about your other one in Devon?

Oh, she has an answer for that.
"The Devon park has a different policy because it has a camp site attached, but at our park we rarely get people complaining because most people come with children.

"Our entry restrictions are clearly sign posted on our website and brochures in an attempt to avoid this confusion.

"We are sorry Miss Johnston and Mr Foster were disappointed but we will continue to stick to our company policy."
And you’ll continue to lose money.

That’s up to you, of course. But if you go under, don’t be surprised to find no-one shedding any tears.

15 comments:

Budvar said...

Had a quick look at their website, and like most of these type of places tend to be run on donations/council development grants etc.

I did a search for "Wheelhouse park" and "charity", and it threw up a lot of Notts council grants (£3.5m) for job creation etc. So my first thought appears to be on the money.

I would seem their main source of income isn't bums on seats, but obtaining grants/funding from the tax payer.

KenS said...

I don't think that Wheelgate is unique in refusing entry to all-adult groups. Whether they still do now (their website doesn't say) but Twinlakes Park near Melton Mowbray used to have the same rule. Probably any park that includes the word "family" in its title might do the same.

SBC said...

I 'live' (and I use the term in the sense of 'exist') on the North Norfuck Coast-at the Sea-Cide.

These last few days it's been very warm-or to put it in 'brit' there has been an 'UNBEARABLE HEATWAVE!!'- so the beaches have been packed.

Packed with families who don't have a problem with their 5-10 year daughters being totally naked. Not being a catholic priest i don't actually want to see scenes of underage genitalia that would get me prison time if it were on my desktop.

Yet the Kindergaten on the top of the ciff now, after its 'refurbishment', resembles a WW2 Stalag...without the charm.

SBC said...

"top of the ciff" should read 'cliff'.

P T Barnum said...

"The parks...are all about families interacting."

I need a translation of that piece of NuSpeek, please.

SBC said...

"families interacting."

@ PT

Oh that's what "Daddy's Little Princess does to be A GOOD GIRL"

Woodsy42 said...

An excellent policy. Please can we now ban parents with children from places I want to go?

Captain Haddock said...

I too had a look at their website .. and came to the rapid conclusion that the place is a hotch-potch of nothing very much ..

Even if my kids were still young enough to enjoy that sort of place, I wouldn't bother visiting ..

Woman on a Raft said...

I need a translation of that piece of NuSpeek, please.

It really means:

We don't want unsupervised groups of youths from 14-25 bouncing round, poking the animals and pushing the kiddies off the swings. The boys are the worst, but the girls are nearly as bad.

We especially don't want them smuggling in vodka, then we suddenly find we are in loco parentis (the best phrase ever for accurately capturing the condition) and end up facing civil claims for all what we should have done to keep the little savages safe.


I have some sympathy for them.

Anonymous said...

I have some sympathy for them.
So would I, if that's what it really meant. But it seems quite clear that even a pair of adults would be turned away.
We couldn't have children. I have rabbits and so on - yes, they are a substitute. It's a kick in the teeth not to be able to have children when you want them, without finding yourself banned from somewhere like that - you may mock the idea, but it is discriminating against those who cannot have - or choose not to have, in this over-populated, and over-burdened country - children.

Woman on a Raft said...

But it seems quite clear that even a pair of adults would be turned away.

That's because if they said "only pairs of adults" then the 18 year olds (assuming they were telling the truth) would simply get in to pairs, possibly leaving an odd one, and the same old argument would go on and on and on.

It has nothing to do with the private matter of the reproductive capacity of two breeding-age adults.

Two pensioners wouldn't be allowed in either. Neither would menopausal lesbian couple, nor would several bloggers and and their partners. Even Lord Mandelson and Reinaldo would not get in if it was just the pair of them.

You've got a case if you can show they don't apply the rule evenly to exclude a party of grannies on a day-trip. Stake out the car-park for a while and watch who is admitted.

Otherwise, please try to get over this. It isn't personal. You are projecting private grief on to a situation which simply won't bear it.

I'd have thought they needed all entry tickets they could sell but they have to be assumed to know their own business best and if they don't want unaccompanied adults - or their money - in any configuration, that's their lookout. Spend your dosh elsewhere. Tell them how much they aren't getting.

Our only concern should be if there is public subsidy for the park, and if so, whether they can exclude anybody at all (see Catholic Adoption agencies where the consideration hinged on the public payment for the service).

My answer is to not subsidise them and then see if it makes any difference to their door policy.

Lerxst said...

SBC

Are their 18-30 year old daughters similarly attired?

If so, I'll be happy to come down and join a 'protest' ;-)

Hire me, hire me! said...

Got kids you don't know what to do with? Want them to earn money (in a less illegal way)?

Park outside the place with your brats and have a sign, announcing, "Ankle Biters for hire to help you get past the gauleiters on the gate." Rates can vary of course: the ferals being a bit cheaper than the well-behaved.

JuliaM said...

"...like most of these type of places tend to be run on donations/council development grants etc."

Aha!

"Packed with families who don't have a problem with their 5-10 year daughters being totally naked. Not being a catholic priest i don't actually want to see scenes of underage genitalia that would get me prison time if it were on my desktop."

Indeed!

"An excellent policy. Please can we now ban parents with children from places I want to go?"

I have often thought some of the big London attractions could do stonking business with a 'No Children' day...

"I have some sympathy for them."

My sympathy is fast running out when, because they decide it's too hard to crack down on the troublemakers, they instead remove the problem at source.

That crap always struck me as unfair and cowardly at school. The years have done nothing to change my opinion.

JuliaM said...

"Park outside the place with your brats and have a sign, announcing, "Ankle Biters for hire to help you get past the gauleiters on the gate.""

Now there's an idea!