I too questioned this along with the "story" about 2 runaway teenagers who had been finally caught by the USA police in Florida.......do you think that it's a no news day? Don't know why they didn't have a blank page with an apology saying that the BBC is on holiday
I think its extraordinary that this little boy should have been charged to go to his friends birthday party in the first place, let alone being charged for not attending !
What if the parents of her son's friends couldn't afford to pay £15.95 ?
Perhaps Mrs Lawrence will think again before she books such an expensive birthday party for her little treasure. What is wrong with some jelly, cake and ice cream, with a game of pass the parcel ? I attended my grandnephews birthday party last November and the kids had a whale of a time. The cake was very good too !
The parents had contact details when they accepted the invitation for their son so they must have had details to let them know he wasn't attending and it was rude just to not turn up.
I should imagine the parents of the birthday boy had paid the snowboard centre for each child......
It would annoy me to pay for a child who had accepted and didn't show.
The party parents should do what I do - I've booked a soft play party for the things (basic party -£9.50 a head, minimum 15 kids). When I get the replies I will tell the venue it's two less kids than it actually is, if two don't show up I've lost nothing and I will just pay 'extra' if everyone does show up.
Seriously, there was over reaction here, the mater should have approached the boy's dad and say that as a consequence of the no-show, she was out of pocket and could he cover the exposure.....