Legoland Refused To Let This Pensioner In Without A Child To Accompany Her

Lego is not just for kids, okay?! People of all ages should be able to enjoy building planes and trains and automobiles and the damn Wall of China out of Lego bricks if that's what they want to do.

74-year-old Yvonne Radcliff is a fan, and she was well excited to visit the new Legoland Discovery Centre that's just opening in Birmingham.

But much to her shock and dismay, she was turned away from the attraction when she tried to get in yesterday.

She was told by a staff member at the £7million centre that she couldn't enter without a child with her.

She's literally been banned from living her best child-at-heart life here.

SWNS

According to the Metro, Yvonne said: "Adults make LEGO, it's wonderful. Yet I wasn't allowed in because I didn't have a kid with me. You couldn't make it up really."

The actual Lego kits are often labelled 12+, with no upper age limit, so why has poor Yvonne been told she's too old to play?

We're so used to seeing the words "Children must be accompanied by an adult" that it's a bit of a shock to see it the other way round on Legoland's website.

In their FAQs page, it says that the attraction's geared towards three- to ten-year olds, and that, "Adults must be accompanied by children to enter LEGOLAND Discovery Centre."

Lego-loving Yvonne added: "I think Lego is fascinating. I've watched documentaries on TV and saw it was opening in town.

"I told my daughter I fancied a day out to see it, so I got on the train to Snow Hill and walked the rest of the way there.

"Once I got there, I walked in and a girl stopped me and said I wasn't allowed in. She said it's the rules - I must be accompanied by a child."

The venue is, however, staging an adult-only evening on July 11 between 5pm and 7pm costing £20 to enter.

SWNS

A spokesperson for Lego said: "Legoland Discovery Centres are not theme parks but small, indoor attractions specifically conceived and designed from a children's perspective to provide safe and fun environments for families with children aged 3-10 to enjoy together.

"Many of the key features in the attraction therefore are not suitable or designed for the use of older children or grown adults of any ability - the soft play area, or some of the rides for example.

"In order to constantly maintain a welcoming environment in which to play, the Centres do not permit entry to any groups of adults, adult couples, or lone adults regardless of race, gender, or ability, who are not accompanied by a young child or children.

"Developed in discussion with our visitors, from our sites across the globe, we believe this policy to be appropriate and practical for this particular attraction and it's visitor profile.

"That said we recognise that the appeal of the Lego brick uniquely crosses all barriers, and fans come in all ages and abilities.

"That is why we will be holding regular adult only evenings linked to every attraction in order to showcase specific attractions within the Centre, such as MINILAND; and including additional events for adults.

"As for discrimination, we do not accept that at all - this policy applies to all adults - of all abilities and gender - we do not discriminate.

"More than that we believe that the policy is both appropriate, given the age of our visitors, and practical, given the design and content of the attraction."

At least we all know the rules now, I suppose. Still, if you want to go to a petting zoo, or go for a paddle in a fountain, YOU BLOODY DO IT. You do you, you big kid.

Topics: Birmingham, Lego, Pensioner

Daisy Jackson

Daisy Jackson is a freelance writer, who has previously worked at Shortlist Media and Trinity Mirror. She has written about the Manchester terror attacks and appeared on BBC Five live to discuss the aftermath, as well as interviewing an orthopaedic surgeon in Syria.