'Magical' Christmas grotto shut down after complaints re-opens

A Christmas attraction backed by celebrity interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is due to reopen today after being swamped with complaints.

The Magical Journey at the Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, shut down after just one day following gripes it was unfinished, had "rubbish presents" and "chav elves".

Ticket prices of £22.50 for a 90-minute visit were also criticised with many branding the "winter spectacle" a "rip-off".

After three days of improvements Llewelyn-Bowen, who stressed he had nothing to do with the production or management of the event, said he hoped the experience was now "much closer to his original ravishing vision".

But despite reopening to the public, organisers have barred the press from attending.

A spokesman said: "We feel that introducing camera crews, reporters and journalists is only going to take away from the experience and possibly even create anxiety for our visitors."

They added they "just want to concentrate on making Christmas as magical as we can for the people who have chosen to join us for The Magical Journey".

Children were left in tears at 'The Magical Journey' near Sutton Coldfield, which parents claimed 'ruined the magic of Christmas'.

The Christmas grotto, which was backed by the designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, was forced to close after just a single day following hundreds of complaints.

ITV News Corespondent Ben Chapman reports: