Oh dear oh dear oh bloody dear...
...why is it that a thread starts off reasonably and within a very short space of time degenerates into abuse? Racism is a strong imputation.
I have hesitated to join in this thread beause I have not been a member for many years and when I do stay it is as a guest of a friend. Years spent in the maritime world meant that visits to the smoke were very rare.
Beagle started this thread partly as a response to a passing remark I made in another thread. He then said that he wouldn't hijack that thread but would start another,this one.
I think one would have to work quite hard to find anything racist in his comments in this thread so far. But then, as we are all aware, there is always someone around ready to take offence at imagined slights of themselves or of others.
My direct experience is of having 5 attempts to sort out a bill in the dining room. The chap was from one of France's old African colonies; and when in an effort to finally resolve it I offered to do it in French, he grasped my hand and almost burst into tears of relief. He was at the end of his first day/evening in the dining room and his more experienced colleagues had dumped on him to do the last of the clearing the room of BOFs and tables. The real problem lay in inadequate staff training.
On another occasion I watched an Italian lass struggle to direct the staff and take orders from crusty old bs and get tables relaid at breakfast. One of the lads was Polish and was struggling to get cutlery in the right order, again his first morning in the job. I indicated to him to come over and suggested he took a mental piccy of our untouched table and imitate it. Off he went, and when he finished the first table he looked over with raised eyebrows: a surreptitious thumbs up and on he went to the next, looking monumentally relieved.
The staff turnover I'd take a guess, is pretty high, so the training part of the job needs even more attention.
So, to the tender offence-takers, may I suggest you get off Beag's back and stop throwing serious imputations around.
The Ancient Mariner