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| Llewelyn-Bowen Christmas park near Sutton Coldfield reopens | Llewelyn-Bowen Christmas park near Sutton Coldfield reopens |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A Christmas attraction created with the help of flamboyant designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has reopened after closing because of complaints. | |
| Hundreds of people criticised the Magical Journey, at the Belfry Golf Club near Sutton Coldfield, for being overpriced and unfinished. | Hundreds of people criticised the Magical Journey, at the Belfry Golf Club near Sutton Coldfield, for being overpriced and unfinished. |
| Bosses shut the attraction at the weekend to resolve the issues. | Bosses shut the attraction at the weekend to resolve the issues. |
| They have banned the media from attending the reopening saying it would "create anxiety for visitors". | They have banned the media from attending the reopening saying it would "create anxiety for visitors". |
| A statement said: "The Magical Journey team are hugely grateful for the support we have received from broadcast media and regional papers. | A statement said: "The Magical Journey team are hugely grateful for the support we have received from broadcast media and regional papers. |
| "So it is with huge regret that we have decided not to open the event up to press on our reopening day. | "So it is with huge regret that we have decided not to open the event up to press on our reopening day. |
| "Please understand that everything we have done, we have done in order to create a truly magical journey for the parents and specifically the children visiting. | "Please understand that everything we have done, we have done in order to create a truly magical journey for the parents and specifically the children visiting. |
| "And we feel that camera crews, reporters and journalists are only going to take away from that experience and possibly even create anxiety for our visitors." | "And we feel that camera crews, reporters and journalists are only going to take away from that experience and possibly even create anxiety for our visitors." |
| 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. |
| 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. Refunds are being offered. | 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. Refunds are being offered. |
| Mother-of-four Michelle Guarini, from Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire, said she had paid £150 for her family to visit. | |
| She said: "They made out it was going to be a fantastic, Narnia-like experience - and there were workmen wandering around with cigarettes. | |
| "The Christmas market was about six shacks and there were some elves who didn't seem to know what they were doing. The kids were bored. It was appalling." | "The Christmas market was about six shacks and there were some elves who didn't seem to know what they were doing. The kids were bored. It was appalling." |
| Smoking elves | Smoking elves |
| A post on the attraction's Facebook page said reports Father Christmas had sworn at a customer and that a reindeer had bitten a child were untrue. | A post on the attraction's Facebook page said reports Father Christmas had sworn at a customer and that a reindeer had bitten a child were untrue. |
| It said it was possible some elves had been seen smoking in the staff rest area and said extra screening had been put up. | |
| Event director Paul Dolan said work had been "severely hampered" by bad weather and the opening should have been postponed. | Event director Paul Dolan said work had been "severely hampered" by bad weather and the opening should have been postponed. |
| He told BBC WM they had now managed to do "all the work they wanted to do". | He told BBC WM they had now managed to do "all the work they wanted to do". |
| "It's looking magnificent," he said. | "It's looking magnificent," he said. |
| Mr Dolan said "over 500" people had visited the attraction since it reopened. | |
| "Everyone has felt the scrutiny we have been under, but the team have performed brilliantly and today there were lots of smiling faces," he said. | |
| In a post on Facebook Rachel Cannon said: "Just got back... and what a brilliant afternoon. A truly magical time! Well done for turning it around." | |
| Gemma Fenton posted that her children "really enjoyed it" and commented that the staff were "brilliant". | |
| But one father told the BBC even though his children enjoyed their visit it was "probably not worth the money you pay". |