the_ultimate_evil
CURSE YOU GIN MONKEY.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2001
- Messages
- 22,773
- Reaction score
- 47
- Points
- 58
Couple's Alton Towers wedding in the balance after clash with Muslim fun day
By CHRIS BROOKE, Daily Mail
19:37pm 11th July 2006
Wedding blues: Amanda Harris and Scott Lee
HeadlinesBritish troops injured in Afghanistan
Israeli warplanes strike Beirut
Sky's the limit on petrol prices if war breaks out
Blind man barred from shop in case dog knocks over antiques
Gunmen kidnap Iraqi Olympic chief
The man who sired 16 children
Sophie, the £175,000 loan and a broken promise to the Queen
Four in 10 drunks ignore their fines
Fire rages across stockbroker belt
Harry dons L-plates for tank ride
New A* supergrade for A-levels
£6,000 pan pipes for GP's waiting room 'to improve NHS'
'Millions' at risk of hearing damage from iPods
Juve, Lazio and Fiorentina relegated
NEWS HOMEPAGE
Pictures & videoGallery: Israeli missile strikes on Lebanon
Video: Israeli airstrike on Beirut airport
Video: Amazing footage of the glider pilot who survived 24 hours in the wreckage of a crashed plane
Gallery: Stars turn out for the Superman Returns premiere
Gallery: Stunning pictures of the day
Gallery: Tess Daly's costume drama as she falls out of her dress
Big Brother gallery: Nikki is evicted from the house
MORE PHOTOS & VIDEO
It seemed liked the ultimate fun and family-friendly wedding.
With so many children due to attend, Amanda Morris and Scott Lee decided a two-day wedding celebration at Alton Towers would be the perfect way to get hitched.
They paid £5,000 to book a lavish ceremony at the attraction's hotel and planned to spend the first day of their honeymoon on the theme park rides with their 60 guests.
Unfortunately the happy couple did not realise their day out would clash with a special Muslim fun day that means married couples will be banned from going on rides together, all women must cover up their bodies in accordance with religious custom and alcohol is forbidden.
Now the devastated couple must decide whether to put up with the restrictive rules on September 17 and share the attraction with up to 28,000 Muslims or reorganise their 'dream' wedding.
Miss Morris, 30, said: 'It's like a nightmare, we have been planning this for so long and now this happens. People are ringing us saying it must be a joke. I don't know what we are going to do now.'
Miss Morris and Mr Lee, a 30-year-old market stall holder, have been engaged for six years and booked the wedding 18 months ago - before the park was hired out to an Islamic company for the fun day aimed at 'integrating Muslims into the wider community.'
They were never informed of the clash themselves and only found out about the problem nine weeks before the big day when a relative received a letter from Alton Towers.
The advice read: 'While the park will remain accessible to you on this day, due to the numbers expected you may wish to change your booking.'
The original plan was for the wedding and reception at the theme park's hotel on Saturday September 16 followed by a day on the rides with their guests on the Sunday.
They will be allowed to go to the theme park the day after the ceremony as planned, but would not be able to go on many rides together because of the single sex rules and a glass of Champagne would be strictly forbidden.
Music ban
Among the other changes that will affect the usual atmosphere is a ban on music and the serving of Halal food only.
Miss Morris, a recruitment sales advisor from Leeds, said: 'We have been to Alton Towers a lot as it's a great fun day out. Our family and friends have a lot of young children and we thought it would be a great idea to include that in our wedding plans.'
The bride-to-be does not blame organisers of the Muslim day, but is reluctant to 'gatecrash their day.'
'I don't think we should have to wear specific dress and be told what we can and can't do. And their rules on ride segregation means that Scott and I won't be able to go on them together. We have found ourselves in a difficult situation and we don't know what todo for the best.
'If I had wanted to just go to a hotel I would have done it closer to home. The park was the main part of the wedding. All our family, some of whom have never been, are really excited and now I have to break the news that it might be all off.'
The couple have contacted the organisers of the Muslim fun day, who confirmed their wedding party would have to adhere to their terms and conditions.
Yaseen Patel, director of Islamic Leisure, said women would have to wearing clothing that covered up their bodies, although they would not have to wear the traditional Muslim head scarf.
Mr Patel confirmed many rides would be single sex only, but said nearly 80 per cent of the park would be available for families to enjoy together.
'Designated adult rides will be rotated between men and women throughout the day,' he said. 'It will be a peaceful family environment and we would like to offer the couple two complimentary tickets.'
A spokeswoman for Alton Towers said: 'We sincerely apologise for the way in which the wedding party were informed of the event taking place on September 17. We are currently discussing all the options available with the party, and are confident we will ensure their wedding weekend is everything they dreamed it would be.'
source http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...in_article_id=395208&in_page_id=1770&ito=1490
Muslim-only Alton Towers
By GUY PATRICK
and ANDY RUSSELL
BRITAINS biggest fun park has sparked a race row with a MUSLIMS-ONLY day.
Up to 28,000 are expected at Alton Towers on September 17 when there will be no music, booze or gambling.
Instead there will be prayer areas, Muslim stalls and all food served will be HALAL.
Organisers Islamic Leisure have billed it the First National Muslim Fun Day and tickets can only be bought through their website.
Non-Muslims phoning the Staffordshire park have been refused tickets.
One, George Hughes, 19, who rang up for 15 tickets for a pals birthday, said: I couldnt believe it.
Invited ... Muslim girls can go to the fun day
Its the only day we can go, yet I cant because Im not Muslim. Can you imagine all the fuss if there was a Christians-only day?
George, of Crayford, Kent, added: My Muslim friends think its outrageous.
Whats the world coming to when people are being banned from flying the St Georges flag yet this sort of day is allowed? If it must be held, then why not on a weekday rather than a busy weekend?
The event is widely promoted on the internet and the Muslim Public Affairs Committee declared it exclusively for our brothers and sisters.
Logo ... biggest fun park
But some Muslims have condemned the idea. One university student on a Muslim website forum said: Its hardly encouraging integration.
Another said: What next . . . an all Muslims shopping day out in the Trafford Centre in Manchester?
Abid Hussan of Islamic Leisure insisted the day was open to all faiths, although Islamic laws would apply.
He added: There will be no smoking, no alcohol and halal food only.
Were trying to get Muslims to go to this day because they wouldnt normally go somewhere like Alton Towers. Were trying to integrate Muslims into the wider community. People can come down and see the way we live. It will be a peaceful family environment.
Alton Towers said any organisation could hire the park for a day.
A spokeswoman said We make no distinction regarding sexuality, religious, ethnic or lifestyle choices.
She confirmed tickets for the day were now available only through Islamic Leisure. And Alton Towers would promote the fact that the day had been booked.
She added: As a general rule, there will be no admission on the day to guests who have not booked through the organisation in advance.
source:http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006300314,00.html
nothing like trying to bring different cultures together
