If you read my previous post, you’ll know that during our recent family stay at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, the accessible toilet in our lodge was out of order for more than 27 hours.
Despite reporting it three times, nothing was done until the second evening — meaning I, as a wheelchair user, was left without a working accessible toilet for over 40% of our stay.

The Latest Response from Center Parcs

At the time, Center Parcs offered £150 as a “gesture of goodwill.” We rejected that because it didn’t reflect the seriousness of the failure or the distress caused. Following further correspondence, they have now increased the offer to £232.25, describing this as my “portion of the stay” and marking the matter “closed.”

Yes — they actually wrote that the refund represents “your wife’s portion of the stay.”

I wish I could say I was surprised.

That single line sums up exactly why accessibility issues persist. It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of what accessibility is.

We weren’t on separate holidays. We’re a family — and when a supposedly “accessible” lodge fails to meet basic needs, everyone is affected. My husband spent much of the first day trying to get the issue resolved. My children saw their mum upset and excluded. That’s not “my portion” of the holiday — it’s our shared experience of frustration and exclusion.

Center Parcs’ latest response reframes a clear Equality Act breach as a minor inconvenience. It ignores that disabled guests have a legal right to equal access — not just a refund when that access fails.

Accessibility is Not a Personal Feature

Accessibility isn’t an optional extra or a personal feature that benefits one person. It’s the foundation that allows families like mine to take part in everyday life — including holidays — on an equal basis.

So no, we’re not accepting this as “full and final.” We’ve made it clear that unless Center Parcs reviews this properly, we’ll be escalating the case through the Equality Advisory and Support Service and, if necessary, the County Court under the Equality Act 2010 and Consumer Rights Act 2015.

This isn’t about money. It’s about principle — and about challenging the idea that accessibility can be reduced to an accounting line or a goodwill gesture.

Because until companies start understanding accessibility rather than just mentioning it in their brochures, equality will remain something that’s promised far more often than it’s delivered.