07 December 2023 , 12:43
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Former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher has been criticised by parents for the 'ridiculous' cost of visiting Santa at his Peak District farm.
The 39-year-old and his wife Liz have opened a festive Santa's Village, but families are unhappy with the ticket prices. The experience, which includes making reindeer food and meeting Father Christmas, costs between £48 to £54 for children and £24 to £28 for adults.
Despite the high prices, celebrity friends of the soap actor, including ex-Corrie star Shayne Ward, were among the first visitors. Irritated fans have been sharing their thoughts on social media about the pricing. Some even suggested that it's only for 'upper-class Tories' and celebrities.
Kelvin Fletcher was slammed by fans over the cost of tickets for his farm (Kelvin Fletcher/Instagram)One person commented: "It's far too dear for families, needs to be half the price," while another said: "I love the programme but must agree that three adults and two children was too expensive for us too. Such a shame. I do hope it's a success though." One shared their opinion and posted: "I love watching the family but it's a bit too expensive for me. Good luck to you both."
Meanwhile, another fan said: "I love the family but the price for a family is £140. It's a bit too expensive. But I still like to watch them on TV for their genuine down-to-earth farming." The Fletchers' Farm is currently being featured on a Sunday morning ITV documentary. The show explores how first-time farmers Kelvin and Liz are adjusting to their new life after moving to the farm in 2022 with their four young children.
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Kelvin swapped city life for the countryside after his Strictly stint (Tom Pitfield)Their efforts to create a Santa's Village will be showcased in a new ITV special set to air on Christmas Eve.
Kelvin shared: "Liz and I are excited to welcome everyone to the farm this December. As a family, we've put our all into making this experience as magical as we can and we hope visitors have the best time. Not only is it a bit of festive fun, but it's also a chance to come and see a working farm, something some kids may never have done."
Liz chimed in: "Santa's Village has been so much fun to put together. If families have half as much fun as we did setting it up when they visit, it's going to be a blast! The kids have been amazing. Santa has his little helpers; we definitely have our own too."
Kelvin, who hails from Oldham, swapped city life for the countryside after winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 with dance partner Oti Mabuse. The couple's 120-acre farm isn't usually open to the public, but they wanted to host special Christmas events. This allows folks to book visits on selected dates in December.
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