Muslim-only Alton Towers (Great Britain's largest fun park has Muslims Only day)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | June 30, 2006 | GUY PATRICK and ANDY RUSSELL

[Stoat]

EXCLUSIVE

Muslim-only Alton Towers

Thrilling ... but only Muslims will be invited
 

By GUY PATRICK
and ANDY RUSSELL

 BRITAIN’S 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 pal’s birthday, said: “I couldn’t believe it.

 

Invited ... Muslim girls can go to the fun day
 

 

“It’s the only day we can go, yet I can’t because I’m not Muslim. Can you imagine all the fuss if there was a Christians-only day?”

George, of Crayford, Kent, added: “My Muslim friends think it’s outrageous.

“What’s the world coming to when people are being banned from flying the St George’s 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: “It’s 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.

“We’re trying to get Muslims to go to this day because they wouldn’t normally go somewhere like Alton Towers. We’re 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.”

[ExtremeUnction]

He added: “There will be no smoking, no alcohol and halal food only.

I would go covered in a bedsheet. Once inside, I would smoke and drink beers and take photos of the women.

[f zero]

They need to do a SERIOUS bomb sweep after the park closes!

[mathurine]

Great idea

[f zero]

All while eating a ham and bacon sandwich.

[mathurine]

Some? Name any?

[F.J. Mitchell]

For a fact.

[Stoat]

He added: “There will be no smoking, no alcohol and halal food only.

I would go covered in a bedsheet. Once inside, I would smoke and drink beers and take photos of the women.
 

You enjoy being chased around an amusement park by thousands of screaming whirling dervishes waving long knives, do you? 

Wear your Keds  :-)

 

He added: “There will be no smoking, no alcohol and halal food only.

I would go covered in a bedsheet. Once inside, I would smoke and drink beers and take photos of the women.
 

You enjoy being chased around an amusement park by thousands of screaming whirling dervishes waving long knives, do you? 

Wear your Keds  :-)

 

[Stoat]

LOL! Thirty thousand of them in one place. Maybe that is enough for several stampedes like they have every year on their Pilgrimage to Mecca.
 

Those Mecca stampedes are always a bright spot in an otherwise humdrum day.  I view it as "culling the herd".  :-)

Perhaps if the Alton Towers staff can construct a giant papier-mâché copy of that silly rock that they worship over there, the stampedes can can be brought home to Merry Olde England   :-)

[FredZarguna]

"A Republican's only day?"

Don't think that'd be too popular in the Constitutional Monarchy of Great Britain. ;-)

I think the objection would be to "republicans."

[F.J. Mitchell]

;~)

[sheik yerbouty]

Perhaps have your Muslim population adapt to the UK, rather than the other way around. Does Alton Park have a "Christian Day"? Do they have a "Hindu Day"? Do they have a "Jewish Day"?

[Canard]

"Perhaps have your Muslim population adapt to the UK, rather than the other way around. Does Alton Park have a "Christian Day"? Do they have a "Hindu Day"? Do they have a "Jewish Day"?"

They don't have a Christian Day, Hindu Day or Jewish Day, nor do they have a "Muslim Day". The park has been hired by a private organisation that happens to be a Muslim organisation. It can equally be hired by Christian, Hindu or Jewish organisations, should they wish to do so. I know some do, here's one example from a quick google search:

http://www.ultimateevents.org.uk/altontowers.aspx

"For the last 11 years the UK's premier theme park has rocked to the beat of some of the top acts on the Contemporary Christian Music Scene............Our driving passion at Ultimate is to put on a great day which Christian young people would be proud to bring their friends. Over the years hundreds of young people have had their lives revolutionized at Alton as they have been impacted with the incredible message of Jesus for the first time."

[faith88]

Your comment is not relevant because having a family only day is different to separating people by religion and race. People will not get offended if its family only but they will for certain religion only.

[dljordan]

I like your tag line a lot.

[FreedomCalls]

I like your tag line a lot.

Thanks. It's just an attempt to point out that which we hold dear. We don't build monuments to "security" like we do to "liberty" -- for the one is more precious than the other. Some people seem to have forgotten that.

[lab-monkey]

Hi, I was really shocked to read about a "muslim only" day, so I emailed the organisers and asked if I could book tickets, being a non muslim.....

the reply I got was this

"we would like to take this opportunity to invite you...

we are open to both muslims and non muslims"

so I guess it's not a muslim only day - and the media labelling it this is just to get an inflammatory response -

essentially this is a private party booking - and so if they want to exclusively sell halal meat and ban alcohol, they are entitled to do so.

[Alamo-Girl]

Like other religionists, Muslims seek to bring others into their faith. Therefore the response is not surprising to me.

[pepperdog]

That was my thought too, I didn't think they were allowed to have fun. I am wondering if those women ride the roller coaster with their head stuff on, looks like it would be blown off. I suppose that would be a sin and they'll have designated beaters there to take care of such situations.

[Dazedcat]

"Gee, too bad a stray bomb or two can't fall off the planes of the Royal Air Force.....ooops!"

LOL yeah, that was my first thought when I saw this thread title too. "Gee so many of them crowded into one place with nobody else around.............".

Never mind. :)

[null and void]

I hope they check for bombs afterwards.