Furious parents described the Hamleys Christmas Toy Parade as a ‘shambles’ after children were left in tears and adults were seen fighting among themselves.
Around 800,000 people lined Regent Street in London as the historic toy store rolled out its most extravagant festive parade yet.
But many people showed up late and shoved their way to the front, causing fighting among the crowd and leaving children in tears.
Fuming families branded yesterday’s Christmas parade a ‘shocking shambles’ and said their day was ruined by a lack of crowd control.
December’s on its way! 800,000 people are thought to have joined the throng in Regent Street this morning as Hamley’s toy parade rolled into the capital
Lynne Cooper wrote on the Hamleys Facebook page: ‘Parade was not organised, staff were rude, kids couldn’t see because of grown adults at the front pushing. Queued an hour just to get in shop and gave up. Shambles so disappointing after planning this day for ages with my grandchildren.’
Daniel Green said: ‘Absolutely awful experience, the crowd were feral, the stewards were worse than useless, my wife was pushed over and my 9 year old daughter was elbowed in the face by a moron with a camera. Shameful how some people acted.’
And Frances Cham added: ‘Last years parade was AMAZING! This year, it was over advertised so 800,000 people came.
‘Most of them didn’t have kids with them and were dangerously pushing past kids and climbing over buggies to get to the front. No crowd control and so many things were cancelled.
‘We lined up for just over an hour tonne told the pjmask meet and greet had been cancelled (medical reasons. Someone was on the floor, injured). The main stage was cancelled so we just left.
‘HAMLEYS, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND that next year be a (free) TICKETED event where the ratio of adult to children be NO GREATER THAN 2:1.’
Tracey Clements-Hill ranted: ‘Is knackered and disappointed, this years Hamleys Toy Parade was a biggest let down, the stewards were rubbish, walking around telling people not to bother queuing to see the various characters because they wouldn’t get to the front in time to see them anyway, thus causing people to rush the stands knocking people who had queued out of the way.
‘One steward stood back and not only watched while and adult, deliberately and maliciously elbowed and squashed my child, so she could see (there were no kids with her) he then shrugged when I asked him to help, the same idiot shut my sons hand in the barrier and when I told him, said well I told him to move!! No apology!
‘No freebies at all for the kids, they were looking forward to collecting the various bags of leaflets, badges, balloons, sweets etc. That they got last year!! The whole thing was a complete shambles.And then when we went into Hamleys to use the toilets and change the baby, the facilities were dirty and the only place to feed the baby was a dirty smelly “baby room” full of overflowing bins!!
Floats featured many of the most popular children’s characters including porcine heroine Peppa Pig. Right: A pair of Minions, from cult kids film Despicable Me, joined up to 400 entertainers on Regent Street
‘Perched on a tiny stool! Then while we were inside using the gross facilities, they let off the fireworks that were promised for the end of the day at 16:30, early so they missed those too, which after a day of queuing for 30 second photo ops and no goodie bags they were looking forward too!!
‘Looks like Hamleys choose to cut corners and increase profits this year rather than making the little people happy, well I for one won’t be going back!!! Even my 7 and 8 year olds asked to leave because the were bored!!! #hamleysyousuckbigtime’
Giant versions of popular children’s characters were on show to thrill youngsters as they paraded through the streets, with a handful of Minions – from cult kids film Despicable Me, Peppa Pig and Fireman Sam all in attendance.
Tis nearly the season: A jolly bunch of elves sprang to life, delighting fans, as they posed next to a London marching band