Dream visit to QE2 turns sour for West Fife kids
Graham Gibson 1589 - 1589 • Published 16 Oct 2008 08:40
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A DREAM visit to the world-famous QE2 turned into a nightmare for young West Fife prize-winners despite Fife Council having claimed the day had given them 'treasured memories for years to come'.
Ten kids, including Phillip (6) and Hannah (11) Holland, from Rosyth, and
Chauntell Cousin (11), from North Queensferry, won a council-run competition for a VIP tour of the vessel and a buffet lunch aboard before it set sail on its final voyage from Scottish waters last week.
The authority was quick to issue a self-congratulatory press release the next day proclaiming, 'Youngsters enjoy the VIP day of their lives and say farewell to the QE2'.
On the release council transport boss Dr Bob McLellan said, 'The youngsters really enjoyed their day and it will hold treasured memories for them for years to come.'
However, red-faced PR staff at Fife House quickly changed their tune when they actually discovered how the kids had got on - after issuing their release.
The kids didn"t get a whole tour of the ship and there was no buffet lunch meaning the whole day was a big let down and leaving both the Holland and Cousin families furious.
Embarrassed council events boss Linda Temple admitted the council was unaware of any problems when publicity about its competition winners was issued to local media.
The children were kept waiting an hour before they could board the ship, with no explanation given, and were taken on a whistle-stop tour of the boat.
Chauntell"s father, Jonathan, who was on board with his daughter, said, 'We did not even get a full tour of the ship as they only had time to show us one deck of the boat. When the children wanted to ask questions about what they were seeing they were told there was no time.'
Further disappointment followed when the buffet lunch they had been promised never appeared and when staff were asked why, they claimed nobody had advised them to do a buffet.
Jonathan said, 'All they provided for us was salmon on a stick. My child is allergic to fish so she could not eat a thing.'
Phillip and Hannah"s mother, Heather, said, 'They were bringing out a few canapés but for kids that just isn"t acceptable. There was obviously a breakdown in communication somewhere.'
When the children returned to North Queensferry Primary School they were asked to relay to their class how their experience went.
Heather said, 'My daughter didn"t want to say but the class really wanted to know and she admitted it was rubbish. They all really felt quite sorry for them as it was quite a bad day.'
The event was organised by the council alongside QE2 operators Cunard, who were in charge of the trip when it reached South Queensferry.
Ms Temple said the authority sympathised fully with the parents" concerns and was now raising matters with Cunard.
'A letter was sent immediately to the parents offering sincere apologies for the catering problems along with an assurance that Fife Council will offer a full explanation once a response is received from Cunard,' she said.
'It is fully appreciated that this will in no way compensate for the fact the day on this iconic ship was, with hindsight, not as good as both Fife Council and the winners had hoped it would have been.'
Both families have now received letters of apology as well as free tickets to attend a pantomime.
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 16 Oct 08
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