Birthday shock for Paige
By MICHELLE LOTTER - North Shore Times
Relevant offers
Paige Jones got an unwanted birthday surprise when she found out her party at Lollipops Playland had been cancelled.
The four-year-old’s mother Maree was shocked to learn that the place where Paige and 12 of her friends would be celebrating had been closed.
Mrs Jones rang Lollipops in Glenfield a couple of days before the party to confirm the number of people attending but could not get through and was told the number didn’t exist.
After ringing Lollipops in Henderson she learned the Glenfield branch had gone into liquidation and parents would not be getting their $50 deposits back.
She then had to break the news to Paige who had keenly been watching TV adverts for Lollipops and was excited to go.
"You try to keep your kids happy and when things like that happen you don’t understand. A simple call on Monday would have helped," Mrs Jones says.
"It’s not just Paige who would have been let down, it’s 13 kids."
Mrs Jones had to quickly find another location because her house is not big enough, and to notify parents.
She then had to hurriedly organise a My Little Pony cake which Lollipops was going to provide.
Luckily it was not too late to book in at Chipmunks, which run a similar service, and the children ended up having a great time, she says.
For Chipmunks it was the second party to be rebooked because of the Glenfield Lollipops’ closure, with one mother having turned up in tears.
Mrs Jones also knows of another family that could not have their child’s planned party at Lollipops.
Lollipops New Zealand franchisee Murray Clark says the situation is unfortunate.
"We feel very sorry for the parents and children who are missing out on their party and play."
He says each branch is owned by individual franchisees and while Lollipops New Zealand wanted to notify parents it could not access the bookings list because the previous owner was holding onto it.
"They’ve been contacting some of the party parents but in the past week or so they haven’t been doing that."
Mr Clark says Lollipops is trying to get the place reopened with a condition that the new owner refund deposits of those who missed out on parties.
