Center Parcs Employees Reveal ‘Toxic’ Work Environment Amid High Visitor Rates

Former employees of Center Parcs have exposed troubling accounts of their experiences working at the well-known holiday park, characterizing the workplace as ‘toxic’ and highlighting unrealistic workloads. The holiday destination, which sees millions of visitors annually, has been a favorite for families since its establishment in the late 1980s.

Located across five forested sites in England—Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire—Center Parcs offers a wide array of activities, including a Subtropical Swimming Paradise and the Aqua Sana Forest Spa. The allure of the wooden cabins, set within approximately 400 acres of woodland, has made it a popular choice for weekend getaways. In 2022, more than two million visitors enjoyed a stay, maintaining a remarkable 97% occupancy rate throughout the year.

Despite the resort’s family-friendly image, the accounts from employees depict a starkly different reality. According to reviews on Indeed, over 526 past and present employees have shared their insights. While some praise the company, others reveal unsettling experiences. One review from July 2023 stands out, with a former food and beverage assistant at the Elveden location describing the environment as “toxic.”

The reviewer stated, “You’re left to struggle. Management don’t care unless it affects their bonus. You won’t get support even if you’re at rock bottom—just bring those profits in. You’re not a person with feelings, emotions or a life outside work.” They further recounted a specific incident highlighting the lack of support for staff, saying, “The perfect example I can think of is that our storeroom and our customer area had air con. The staff didn’t, and you’re left to combat 30 plus degrees of non-stop service. Avoid. You can do better.”

Another employee, a housekeeper at Elveden, echoed concerns about unrealistic expectations. Their review described initial positivity in management, which shifted to a harsh approach after a few months. They recounted instances of being told that their cleaning was inadequate, despite their best efforts. “They would lie about the lodges I cleaned, saying that they found marks and food stuck on things in the lodge when there definitely wasn’t,” they wrote.

An additional former employee expressed feeling undervalued, stating, “They made me feel very useless, and they even said if I couldn’t do the job properly then I shouldn’t bother coming in to work anymore. I asked about other work that I could possibly do, and they said there wasn’t anything. So now I’m out of work and I have three children to feed. I had a very unpleasant experience working there.”

In contrast, the company received an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5 across five key areas: work-life balance, pay and benefits, job security and advancement, management, and culture. Some employees offered a more positive perspective. A cleaner in Nottingham noted, “Not a bad place to work, good teammates, and not bad for holiday discounts and day passes. Very hard work and not a lot of time to do it in. And you can see a lot of wildlife as well.” A spa therapist in Wiltshire highlighted the job’s perks, stating, “Great place to work, so many amazing perks to enjoy with your family outside of work time.”

In response to the negative reviews, a representative for Center Parcs said, “We are sorry to hear these reviews as we take great pride in our colleague experience. We employ around 10,500 people and nearly 4,000 of those colleagues have been with us for more than five years.” The representative added that the company boasts some of the lowest turnover rates in the hospitality sector, with competitive pay exceeding the National Living Wage and a range of employee benefits, including annual bonuses and health and wellbeing programs.

As the conversation continues about workplace conditions at popular resorts like Center Parcs, the experiences shared by staff members underscore the need for ongoing dialogue about employee support and management practices in the hospitality industry.