Parents who paid up to €42 for a family ticket to an outdoor children’s event last weekend are demanding their money back after the event was labelled a scam.
When excited families arrived at Kidz Fest in Orsett, Essex, they found that the entertainment laid on for children consisted of a pile of cardboard boxes arranged on the ground.
Despite the hefty ticket price, all other rides, such as the bouncy castles, cost extra and the advertised “petting zoo” was decidedly tame, featuring only a rabbit, an owl, a guinea pig and snake.
“We paid to walk around a field,” said mum Charlotte Pether.
Having located the organiser Ian ‘Tomo’ Kembery (pictured below in the black hat), parents demanded refunds but left empty handed. Police arrived to keep the peace and advise the outraged parents of their rights.
Amazingly, this is not the first time Kembery has hit the headlines over a failed event. Last year he charged parents £15 a head for entry into a Frozen’ pop-up experience. When children arrived to “sing, dance and play their way to happiness” as per the advertisement, they found a sparse hotel function room containing a bouncy castle and an empty paddling pool.
Kembery said some parents who booked through voucher websites would be able to get a refund, but added that he doesn’t believe he’s done anything wrong.
Kembery wrote on the event Facebook page: “Studio Club Inc (trading as Winter Fest) has offered refunds to customers of Kidz Fest who were unhappy with the event as a gesture of good will. This is by no means an admission of any liability of wrong doings.
“We feel the event was as advertised with a clear indication of what was included in the ticket price. At the bottom of the advertisement text on our website, we clearly listed what activities would be at an extra charge.”
He added: “I am sorry that you did not have a nice time at the event.
“This was not my intention to upset anyone or to make your feel that you were misled.”
Have you felt ripped off after a family event? Let us know what happened on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
