Merlin Entertainments on BBC watchdog

[MouseAT]

It's more the attitude than anything else. It's clear that Merlin are your typical greedy money-grabbers who have consistantly jacked prices up year on year, are constantly trying to charge us all more for less, and are able to get away with it because they own all the top-tier parks in the UK.

It's not just the parking. It's the parking, plus the fastrack, plus the obscene gate prices, plus the "let's build something that marketing can rave about, rather than something good" approach we keep seeing.

 

[jokerman]

Why are people surprised that Merlin want to try and get as much money from people as possible. They are running a business. And obviously they've decided that this is the best way to make money.

 

[MouseAT]

Why are people surprised that Merlin want to try and get as much money from people as possible. They are running a business. And obviously they've decided that this is the best way to make money.

Or at least they've seen an easy way to make money and are taking full advantage of it. When we're all feeling the effects of a completely screwed economy, I should add.

They're quite entitled to charge. We're equally entitled to call them out for being the greedy assholes that they are.

Perhaps if the criteria for business decisions went beyond a) Will it make us more money and (optionally) b) is it legal, the world wouldn't be as screwed up as it is right now.

 

[jokerman]

Why are people surprised that Merlin want to try and get as much money from people as possible. They are running a business. And obviously they've decided that this is the best way to make money.

Or at least they've seen an easy way to make money and are taking full advantage of it. When we're all feeling the effects of a completely screwed economy, I should add.

So they should make it difficult for themselves. If you saw an easy way to make money, and you had the means to do it, wouldn't you do the same?

They're quite entitled to charge. We're equally entitled to call them out for being the greedy assholes that they are.

You're entitled to call them that, but I don't think you're correct in doing so.

Perhaps if the criteria for business decisions went beyond a) Will it make us more money and (optionally) b) is it legal, the world wouldn't be as screwed up as it is right now.

What are you suggesting. c) Be nice to people.

And the whole economic climate thing doesn't follow. Are they going to start handing out free annual passes to tramps now, just because they can't afford one?

At the end of the day, if people don't want to pay, they won't park there and Merlin will have to change tack. That's how business works. End of story.

 

[Gangster4Life]

I'd like to see how Merlin would cope if they were poor, had no cars, and a load of kids having to rely on public transport. :twisted:

 

[Martyn B]

I dont care too much about the parking charges with Merlin, however I do think that £65 for an unlimited fast track is ridiculous!

 

[SaiyanHajime]

This is a little off topic, but I've just remembered, this isn't the first time Merlin have been on Watchdog. Last year they were on there because of wasp issues, which they have still failed to sort out. They were found to be not removing nests that had been reported and not cleaning responsibly to keep the problem to a minimum. Half of the issue is the bins are filthy, which not only attracts wasps but makes them smell. Pressure washing them every now and again would solve a lot of these problems, and fixing/replacing them so wasps can't get in them so easily. Bins are often used at the parks as path blockers in queues, and the constant moving damages them and brings smell, wasps and dirt into problem areas.

 

[sawalive]

I think its fair to charge for VIP parking and during special events, because of the capacity the parks have to face but to charge upto £6 a day is not really fair, but I do see where the money goes at Alton unlike Chessington and thorpe park both of which are just gravel/grass pits with little to no lighting!

I am suprised vip parking has not already reached o2 arena parking charges at £25 per car, people pay it there so why not at a theme park especially with a concert involved?

I think maybe merlin should have a fair system for charging in the car parks I.E. free parking between 10am-2pm, charges after 2pm, so there is at least one way of getting out of it, just to settle a little bit of dispute!