A preferred UK Christmas occasion did not seize the magic of the festive season after kids have been left in “tears”, with livid guests even being provided a “full refund”.

There’s nothing just like the excited squeals of youngsters through the  festive interval once they go to go to Santa and discovering the suitable candidate to play the primary man is not any straightforward job.

The very first thing when taking part in the position of Santa is to be cheerful, get your finest purple swimsuit and beard and grasp your “ho ho ho”.

Nonetheless, a Father Christmas impersonator on the Nice Corridor in Winchester, Hampshire left guests unimpressed together with his “blatantly pretend beard” and “low cost purple swimsuit”.

Matthew Fernandez, who visited together with his kids, mentioned the expertise was ruined due to the brand new Santa not being very talkative, which left his household in floods of tears.

He mentioned: “This was only a man dressed up in an affordable purple swimsuit with a blatantly pretend beard and he wasn’t very talkative in any respect – he didn’t appear very jovial. It ruined the expertise.

“My kids have been well mannered however as quickly as we left, they have been in tears relating to the state of affairs and mentioned they knew he was a pretend.”

Lisa Catherine, who visited along with her new child granddaughter, branded the occasion a “shambles”.

In her on-line grievance, she mentioned: “Actually I needed to snigger. I’ve seen higher Santas rolling round city on their approach to Christmas events.” She mentioned the organisers should “shut this shambles down”.

Taking to social media to voice issues, Claire Partridge accused organisers of “promoting out” and “ruining a magical expertise”.

The occasion guarantees to supply a “magical expertise” for youngsters and isn’t low cost. Tickets value £18.50 a baby and £6 an grownup.

Southampton mum-of-two Kirsty informed the Southern Each day Echo she is going to “not attend” the Christmas occasion after the terrible opinions and has “up to now been refused a refund”.

Hampshire Cultural Belief acknowledged its Santa had gone down so badly and people “who booked tickets on the idea that the expertise can be the identical as earlier years” are being provided a “full refund”.

The assertion learn: “We’re conscious a few of our clients have expressed disappointment that the Santa’s Grotto on the Nice Corridor is a distinct expertise to the one provided final yr, significantly that the Father Christmas is just not the identical one who has greeted kids beforehand.

“This yr’s Santa expertise is model new and does provide some nice new additions which develop the provide. At no level have we urged that this yr’s expertise was the identical as that delivered by the earlier operator and we completely refute ideas that it has been mis-sold.

“As a gesture of goodwill for any buyer who has not but visited and who booked tickets on the idea that the expertise can be the identical as earlier years, we’re providing a full refund.”