Grotto organisers offer furious parents refunds over ‘fake santa’ at festive event

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Organisers of a popular festive experience have offered visitors refunds after families were left disappointed over the “shambles” Christmas event.

Following criticism for appearing fake, the Hampshire Cultural Trust is providing complete refunds to anyone who has not yet visited the new grotto experience at the Great Hall in Winchester.

Its long-standing Father Christmas and Grand Elf activities from prior years have been replaced with the new grotto.

One visitor, Claire Partridge, expressed her disdain on social media, accusing the organisers of “selling out” and “ruining a magical experience.”

Matthew James Fernandez, who visited with his three children, expressed his disappointment at the departure of the previous Father Christmas, who was “the real deal” and the reason his family spent every December in Winchester, saying the replacement had “big boots to fill.”

Lisa Catherine, who visited with her newborn granddaughter, complained online: “Honestly I wanted to laugh, I’ve seen better Santas rolling around town on their way to Christmas parties.” She said the organisers ought to “close this shambles down”.

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Another said: “We unfortunately got the fake Santa!! It was so awkward to be honest. No hohoho, no merry Christmas, nothing.”

The Hampshire Cultural Trust responded to the concerns, blaming the disappointment on external websites that used images from previous Santa events it had hosted, as well as the use of stock photos to advertise the event.

It said on its website: “We are aware some of our customers have expressed disappointment that the Santa’s Grotto at the Great Hall is a different experience to the one offered last year, particularly that the Father Christmas is not the same one who has greeted children previously.

“This year’s Santa experience is brand new and does offer some great new additions which expand the offer. At no point have we suggested that this year’s experience was the same as that delivered by the previous operator and we absolutely refute suggestions that it has been mis-sold.

“As a gesture of goodwill for any customer who has not yet visited and who booked tickets on the assumption that the experience would be the same as previous years, we are offering a full refund.”