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| Complaints close Christmas Magical Journey attraction | Complaints close Christmas Magical Journey attraction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Christmas attraction designed by celebrity designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has closed after one day due to hundreds of complaints. | A Christmas attraction designed by celebrity designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has closed after one day due to hundreds of complaints. |
| Some customers branded The Magical Journey, which opened on Saturday, a "rip-off" and "unfinished". | Some customers branded The Magical Journey, which opened on Saturday, a "rip-off" and "unfinished". |
| The attraction at the Belfry, near Sutton Coldfield, had been billed as a "snow-covered winter wonderland". | The attraction at the Belfry, near Sutton Coldfield, had been billed as a "snow-covered winter wonderland". |
| Event director Paul Dolan apologised and said preparation had been "severely hampered" by recent torrential rain. | |
| "It's clear to us now that we should have postponed the opening," he said, "but we didn't want to disappoint those families already booked. | |
| "That was the wrong decision and we apologise." | |
| Hundreds of messages were posted on the Magical Journey's Facebook page after it opened. | Hundreds of messages were posted on the Magical Journey's Facebook page after it opened. |
| 'Not so magical' | 'Not so magical' |
| A number of users complained about the price of admission - the top price for a child is £22.50 - and accused the management of misleading the public. | |
| Matt Freeman wrote: "I could have cobbled something together better than this in my own back garden for half the cost." | Matt Freeman wrote: "I could have cobbled something together better than this in my own back garden for half the cost." |
| Ben Harvey said he had visited on Saturday afternoon and there had been a lot of waiting around. | Ben Harvey said he had visited on Saturday afternoon and there had been a lot of waiting around. |
| "The advertised pictures are very different from what you see or do, in the not so magical journey!" he wrote. | "The advertised pictures are very different from what you see or do, in the not so magical journey!" he wrote. |
| "I don't think it is worth half the money we paid." | "I don't think it is worth half the money we paid." |
| Some users encouraged others to give the Magical Journey "a chance" and to reserve judgement until it re-opened. | Some users encouraged others to give the Magical Journey "a chance" and to reserve judgement until it re-opened. |
| In a post on its website, organisers announced the attraction would close for three days for improvements and changes to be made. | In a post on its website, organisers announced the attraction would close for three days for improvements and changes to be made. |
| Anyone with reservations on days affected by closures would be entitled to a refund or offered a rescheduled visit, they said. | Anyone with reservations on days affected by closures would be entitled to a refund or offered a rescheduled visit, they said. |
| "We have also had difficulty with torrential rain on site affecting the lighting and sound. We have people working to repair this damage," they said. | "We have also had difficulty with torrential rain on site affecting the lighting and sound. We have people working to repair this damage," they said. |
| Refunds were also offered to anyone who has already visited the event. | Refunds were also offered to anyone who has already visited the event. |