A winter festival has dramatically closed after just one weekend after furious families complained the site was covered in mud, with ‘cheap’ plastic reindeer and overpriced rides.
The Crystal Palace WinterFest in south east London has been slammed by outraged parents who claim their children were left in tears when Santa failed to arrive because he was stuck in traffic on the motorway.
Visitors say the ice rink melted, the Ferris winds closed due to high winds and there was barely any food available at the event.
The festival at the historic Crystal Palace Park was supposed to run from December 8 until January 2 but received so many complaints, it closed last night.
The Crystal Palace WinterFest in south east London has dramatically closed after just one weekend
The real scenes were a far cry from the colourful, glossy shots on the site’s website
Parents complained the rides were overpriced and the site was slushy and muddy
An ice skating rink that cost £12 for adults and £8.50 for kids at peak times was shut due to snow – with parents who booked claiming they weren’t told until they turned up
One mother claims her children cried after Santa failed to appear in his grotto because he was stuck in heavy snow after trying to travel down from Nottingham.
The event was hailed as south London’s alternative to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.
And visitors were promised a street food area with crepes, churros, doughnuts, hog roasts and luxury hot chocolates as well as a festive bar.
But they were greeted with a handful of stalls selling hotdogs and candy floss.
Pictures show the site covered in mud, with a few paltry stalls, plastic reindeer and fairground rides costing up to £3 each.
An ice skating rink that cost £12 for adults and £8.50 for kids at peak times was shut due to snow – with parents who booked claiming they weren’t told until they turned up.
The real scenes were a far cry from glossy shots on the site’s website, which show couples enjoying hot drinks and Father Christmas handing a child a wrapped present in ‘Toyland’.
Pictures of the site posted on Facebook show rides covered in snow and the whole site turned into a slushy mud bath.
Tom Phillips said: ‘Winterfest – closed due to snow. What’s next? The beach – closed due to sand?’
A number of visitors complained about the ‘cheap and tacky’ plastic reindeer
Pictures of the site posted on Facebook show rides covered in snow and the whole site turned into a slushy mud bath
Images online promised visitors a winter wonderland ideal for families in south east London
Visitors were promised a street food area with crepes, churros, doughnuts, hog roasts and luxury hot chocolates as well as a festive bar (as seen in an image from the event website)
Other parents said the entire site had been turned into a mud bath because the floor was made of material that looked like bin bags
The site’s website show couples enjoying hot drinks at the winter festival
Adrian Miah added: ‘Niece and nephew pre-booked for ice skating on Saturday, when arrived was told it’s cancelled, will get a refund, and didn’t offer to rebook.’
Sarah Louise Hill said her visit had been ‘a joke’.
She said: ‘For whoever was thinking of going to winterfest at Crystal Palace Park! Do not go!
‘Honestly it was a joke, we walked miles and miles across the park in the snow to find that the ice rink was melted and there was no father xmas!
‘The kids were so upset, freezing and crying. And I don’t think I stand much chance of getting my money back for ice skating as there is no number to call or anything!
‘And when you are there they just tell you to go on Crystal Palace website which there isn’t one!
‘There were like two rides and two stalls was an absolute joke!!!’
One furious visitor said: ‘Tom Phillips said: ‘Winterfest – closed due to snow. What’s next? The beach – closed due to sand?’. Pictured, the ice skating rink depicted on the event’s website
A message went up on WinterFest’s website last night, saying it had shut permanently, despite the fact it should have remained open until January 2
A spokesman said: ‘WinterFest has now been cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions and the effects it has had on the event’
Parents complained their children were ‘freezing and crying’ when they visited the site at the weekend
Sarah Fok-seang also said her visit had been disastrous and was told that despite it being a winter festival, many parts were shut due to bad weather.
She said: ‘Santa’s Grotto: Not there today as he lives in Nottingham and couldn’t get down due to the snow on the motorway, they haven’t booked another Santa for the rest of the time in case this happens again.
‘Ice skating: closed today due to the weather, not their fault it’s for health and safety reasons it’s very slippery, any tickets booked will be refunded. No seating for spectators outside.
‘Giant observation wheel: As you may know couldn’t be put up due to high winds previously but will be delivered Monday ready for Wednesday.
‘Lots of fun fair rides for the kids, yes it’s pricey between £1-3 a ride but that’s probably what you would pay anywhere at Christmas.’
Other parents said the entire site had been turned into a mud bath because the floor was made of material that looked like bin bags.
Michael Curran said: ‘It’s really poor, popped up there Sunday afternoon, minimum investment!
‘Difficult to walk around the place without getting covered in mud! God knows how you would cope with young children or with a buggy!! Not family friendly – shame!’
RJ Valentine added: ‘The place is a joke.
‘A half-hearted funfair (the worst kind because God knows whether they’ve tightened the bolts) and four stalls selling Christmas market stuff. Utter rubbish.
‘Better on the South Bank. Better in Birmingham. Better at my bloody school and I’m 40. It was bobbins.’
Anita Glave added: ‘Er…Crystal Palace Winterfest…don’t bother!!’
Christina McCormick said: ‘Took the boys to Winterfest at Crystal Palace today, what a huge disappointment, was just a funfair and a bad one at that, not Christmassy at all and nothing there.’
People complained the venue was ‘not Christmassy at all’ despite being billed as a festive event
Some families gave the festival 0/10, complaining about their visit o social media
Lee Gowing said on Twitter: ‘Crystal Palace Winterfest sorry but it was a bit of a let down no Santa’s grotto and the ice rink wasn’t up and running no good Christmas stalls…
‘0 out of 10 glad we didn’t have to pay to get in #dontwasteyourtime’
A message went up on WinterFest’s website last night, saying it had shut permanently, despite the fact it should have remained open until January 2.
When contacted for a comment about the issues a spokesman said: ‘WinterFest has now been cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions and the effects it has had on the event.
‘We are sorry for any inconvenience caused and all refunds for bookings will be made within seven days.’
Crystal Palace Park, which housed the Crystal Palace between 1854 and its destruction by fire in 1936, is run by Bromley Council.
They did not return requests for a comment.