More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Organisers of a festive event at the centre of chaotic scenes on Kent roads last night have postponed three remaining dates from tomorrow due to new Tier 4 restrictions.
Following today's announcement of new Tier 4 restrictions for the county, the decision has been taken to scrap the Winter Wonderland drive-in Christmas concert and fireworks at Detling Showground near Maidstone.
In a statement posted on the event website, they say: "20/21/22 December dates have been postponed in light of the recent government announcement.
"Please bear with us as we digest this information and we will be in touch when we have a clearer view of Covid-19. In the meantime stay safe and healthy."
Many ticket-holders have been demanding they get their money back following their frustrating experience on the gridlocked A249 yesterday, as quite a few people were unable to get in before it closed.
Bosses of organiser Phoenix Fireworks say they have started issuing refunds - and claimed they had learned lessons ahead of tonight's show. However there were once again queues on the roads leading to the event, even if the scenes did not quite appear as bad as the previous night as people did not need to get out of their cars and were getting into the site easier.
Operations director Will Defries said: "On our opening night yesterday, we did encounter some problems.
"As event organisers, we have put a lot of measures back in place - we’ve redesigned the Winter Wonderland concert experience, moved some of the attractions and moved some of the live acts.
“For people who did not make it into the experience last night, we’ve already started issuing refunds.
“We are terribly sorry that they didn’t get to have the experience that they were meant to.”
The event had been billed as a Covid-safe "whimsical Christmas tour" with guests driving along a winter-themed trail.
Children could wave at Santa from their cars, post their letters to the North Pole and watch a fireworks display from a designated parking space.
They were also promised a food village and other "enchanting surprises".
Instead, furious visitors spent their evenings in tailbacks that stretched along the A249 to Eclipse Park, near junction 7 of the M20.
Angry Kay Shoebridge summed up the mood of many when she said: "Phoenix Fireworks, you need to issue refunds for those of us who couldn't even get close."
