CENTER Parcs has been forced to cancel hundreds of
holidays following a blaze at its Elveden Forest holiday park in Suffolk.
The fire damaged the park’s Central Plaza – the
village’s hub where its shops, restaurants and sports facilities are located.
Around 3,400 holidaymakers and 400 staff were
evacuated after the blaze broke out in a catering block this morning. There
were no casualties.
Guests were forced to go home and a spokeswoman
confirmed that they would be compensated.
The park was closed immediately and will remain so
until the damage has been assessed.
“The cause of the fire has not been identified but a
full investigation has commenced. Until a full assessment of damage has taken
place we will not be able to say when the village will reopen,” said a
spokeswoman.
The park’s next set of guests are due to arrive at 3pm
tomorrow and call centre staff had the unenviable task of breaking the news
that the park is shut and their holidays cancelled.
Center Parcs has asked anxious guests, with
reservations for the weeks to come, not to contact the firm.
A statement from the firm said: “Given that we wish to
focus on the immediate problem, we would ask guests at Elveden Forest not to
contact us at this stage. We will contact them as soon as possible.”
In May 2000, there was a blaze at the De Eemhof Centre
Parcs village, in the Netherlands.