Holidaymakers' peace shattered by sound of carpenters working on their log cabin
HOLIDAYMAKERS say they had a rude awakening after building work began outside their Lincolnshire log cabin.
James Bell, 48, came to the county with his wife, his daughter and her partner, for a week of peaceful fishing at Tattershall Lakes Country Park, near RAF Coningsby.
But yesterday morning they were roused by the sounds of construction as carpenters stripped away the steps and veranda of their accommodation.
"The place seems to be all about peace and tranquility, but we were woken by a loud banging," said Mr Bell, a lorry driver from Essex.
"By the time we came out all of the veranda had been ripped away and we had to jump down between the beams.
"We went to see the manager and he said he knew this was going to happen, but we hadn't been told.
"A man did come on Tuesday and ask where we wanted some posts putting, but we told him we didn't own the cabin and didn't know anything about any posts, and he went away.
"They said the work would be finished in a day, but they just don't understand – the holiday is ruined.
"We were offered £50 of vouchers to spend in the park as compensation – it's a joke."
Daughter Donna Bell, 25, from County Durham, said this was her first visit to Lincolnshire, but she was unlikely to return.
"What with the noise of planes and now this, I think this will be both the first and last time we come here," she said.
Tattershall Lakes general manager Nick Hodgson said he was aware of the works at the cabin in which the Bells were staying.
"It was not technically building work," he said. "They were fitting an access ramp.
"We've had it scheduled for some time – with decking companies you have got to book them three or four weeks in advance.
"And we didn't feel it was going to inconvenience anybody.
"I believe we told the family about the work two or three days ago – we knocked on the door and said it was going to happen.
"If it had been an issue then we could have found them alternative accommodation – we're not obliged to offer compensation.
"But we did offer £50 as a gesture of good will."
13 Comments
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by BigAl, Lincoln
Sunday, September 12 2010, 7:34AM
“Oh these comments do make me laugh. In the first instance the holiday park could have given more notice. If they booked the decking company 4 weeks in advance then why only give the people 2 or 3 days notice? Secondly, I agree with Dave here and there, a little background checking would have informed them of their proximity to a RAF base. I would hazard a guess that they probably found this park through an online search, so why not check google maps and see where it was close to? As for good looking bobs comments, yes Lincolnshire is relatively flat compared to North Yorkshire where I originate from, is this not the reason it has a rich RAF history and also the reason it is the largest farming county in the country? It is rural. If you feel rural is boring then why do you live here? That aside I have lived here for 15 years and travel the width and breadth of the country with my work, and I do have to agree, the proportion of bad drivers in Lincolnshire far outnumbers anywhere else in the country. Maybe this could be the tourists who are driving errratically trying to escape noisy carpenters and planes ?”
by Son of Sam, Slovenia
Saturday, September 11 2010, 3:53PM
“This artickle is critickle of jet plaines. If u dont like jet plaines dont come on holliday in Lincolnsh i wud pursnly reckommend holliodays in sufuk ware u can rent a shallay rite next 2 a jet engine testing rig it is not on a plaine so u will not be disterbed by plaines if u dont like it go on holliaday to iceland.”
by Gnome Chomsky, Tattershall Lakes
Friday, September 10 2010, 10:04PM
“G L Bob, I don't know how much you are aware, but jet aircraft were not actually invented to wreck the 18th century. Tattershall is directly under the flightpath of RAF Coninsgby and the EFA Typhoon. I'm sure if your holiday was under a flightpath used by fast jets every few minutes, you might have a gripe.”
by John Shepherd, Market Rasen
Friday, September 10 2010, 3:13PM
“Wonder if they'll put the £50 towards a deposit for their next holiday in the camp?”
by peter, Lincoln
Friday, September 10 2010, 2:11PM
“If they were here for a peaceful week of fishing then why were they still in bed when the construction work started ?
Most anglers would be keen to mke an early start.”