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Park's website 'encourages absenteesim'
Apr 21 2004
Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers has been accused of encouraging absenteeism after it launched a promotional website called ihatework.co.uk.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) claims the attraction is behaving irresponsibly by "enticing" workers to take advantage of a temporary mid-week discount ticket offer.
The website urges browsers to "Escape the workplace rat race", stating: "With the kids out of the way and back at school and the ride queues at an all time low, what better time to grab a bunch of mates and hit the UK's best theme park?"
The offer adds: "Do you know a friend in need of a great day out - away from work? Simply e-mail this URL www.ihatework.co.uk to them and they can get out of the office and have a great day out at Alton Towers."
FSB spokesman Stephen Alambritis urged Alton Towers to drop the website.
He said: "We do not take issue with their right to market an offer, but enticing people to leave work is not the way forward.
"It is irresponsible. They are getting people to toy with the idea of taking a sickie and then persuading them to take that decision with this offer."
Mr Alambritis, whose organisation represents 185,000 firms, added: "Absenteeism costs the UK economy £10 billion each year and it is smaller businesses, with smaller staff, who are hardest hit.
"It is also demoralising for other workers who are likely to find out that a colleague has bunked off work to go to somewhere like Alton Towers."
