A Country Fit for Heroes
 

From the BBC News Website:sad:

Soldier is refused room at hotel

A soldier home on leave after being injured in Afghanistan was refused a room by a hotel when he showed his military ID card at reception.
Corporal Tomos Stringer, 23, from Gwynedd, was visiting a wounded colleague in Surrey when he was turned away from the Metro Hotel in Woking.
He spent the night in his car after being told it was management policy not to accept military personnel.

The Metro Hotel is owned by a company called American Amusements Ltd, also based in Woking. No-one was available to comment.

I think Michael the Manager deserves a few e-mails. He's got one from me.

The Big Apple

The BBC report here BBC NEWS | Wales | Soldier is refused room at hotel

E-mail sent. :mad:

There was an earlier thread about which businesses give discount for military personnel. Perhaps it's time for a sticky to list all businesses which allow discounts and a list of those who discriminate against, such as the one above.
It was also reported on Radio 4 (in which interview I understand his mother said his friend had died).
I feel ashamed that ANY business can turn away people serving our Country, and wonder where the PC brigade are now?? Perhaps if he said he was Welsh, we'd then see all the full force of discrimination descend upon this hotel chain and any other businesses turning away service personnel.
Still, it's "Tommy this, and Tommy that" can't see the MoD wanting to stand up and get the politicos to do something....
Sorry, Tomos, don't know what this Country is coming to when things like this happen without any comeback.....

Thanks Skipped, exactly want I wanted to know when I was listening to the story on R4 this morning:

"As it is your policy not to accept military personnel into your hotel, it is my policy that neither I nor anyone working for me will use any hotel in your chain."

email sent. It makes my blood boil, it really does.

How a British citizen can be so ungrateful for people laying down their lives is, quite frankly, beyond me.

Just in case he's too busy reading the e-mails the number is 01483-727100.

I've noticed there's a distinct anti-services flavour in some places around the Guildford / Woking area.

There's a high contingent of gypsy enclaves over the wider area - what would appear to be a normal roadside traditional pub on the way into Guildford from say the Cranleigh direction was pointed out to me as the place where our pikey friends kindly supply funny substances ( I do not partake ! ).

I believe I'm right in saying there is no love lost between the army especially and gypsies, who have a largely Irish contingent.

In Guildford itself there is what at first glance seems a nice pub in a good location - when a colleague & I ( BAe ) went to the door we noticed a large sign saying " no armed services personnel ".

Foolishly we went in, and although we were not services, and I wouldn't have thought particularly looked like services ( not very short hair etc ) we were given VERY deliberately sh***y service, being moved from table to table until next to the loos despite the place being nearly empty.

The staff happened to be very distinctly Irish...Without finishing our 1 lunchtime pint we left, after giving some polite but firm customer feedback...

This was in the late 1980's.

I am not anti-Irish ( I do happen to be anti-gypsy, but only after direct experience personally and seeing what's happened to MANY colleagues ) - but in this area there does seem to be a link.

True, I'm sure groups of squaddies from Aldershot 'letting off steam' might be a problem for town centre landlords from time to time, but imagine the outcry from the P.C. quarter ( and violent retribution ) if anyone put up a sign saying ' no gypsies' !

Obviously some sort of 'name & shame' set-up is required for anti-services establishments; on the positive side, places which welcome well behaved services personnel could also be listed or encouraged to display their support with a window sticker campaign or something ?

That way forces-friendly public ( like me ) could show their support too...

I have not sent a mail to the outfit described above as the last thing I want to do is supply them with my details, but I'm sure they will be left in no doubt that they've lost a lot of trade from the public, not just forces - maybe the local M.P. can do something, I'll try to track him down.
DZ

As for them losing trade, according to www.tripadvisor.com some chap who stayed there in August felt the need to say this about the Metro:

"The worst hotel I've ever stayed. The room wasn't ready-just 2 beds instead of 3. Then single room had used towels. We didn't get any breakfast but they charged it and on top of that they were saying we used the telephone even though we were not in the room!!!! And they charged us extra 80 pounds!!!!"

Don't think their immediate future will be particularly bright

Maybe Top but there aren't a huge number of hotels in that area to choose from unfortunately.

Yes its true that the area has a high number of squaddies, but even if you reckon that they will cause trouble, they are going to be in barracks or other local accomodation. By definition anyone staying in a hotel is not from that the local camps.

email sent. who do they think they are?

The monkey who receives the e-mails, will be Michael Chaussy, who'll bin them probably, before the sole director of the company gets to see them. Talking of organ grinders..

MICHAEL RICHARD ERLE APPLETON
DOB 07/10/59

I won't print his home address in the local area, or even how badly or well his company is doing, because I'm better than him. I can show him more respect than he shows to those who make sacrifices to give other strangers overseas, the freedoms that he takes for granted on his own doorstep.

But if he has sanctioned this as blanket policy.. what a c:mad:nt.

Ok,

Trying to be rational and calm about this - now this is where we will truly see whether the Government, local councils and the British public are really behind the Servicemen and women of the nation.

Wide publicity from the media, followed by pro-active investigation and questioning by the local council, enforced by a Governmental review.

Even if the last 2 (the local council and Government department) have no moral courage or interest, then if the British public genuinely and sincerely support Her Majesty's Armed Forces, then this chain could be out of business within a month as a boycott is widely enforced.

Now lets see if the British public really do support our lads and lasses when it counts or just providing hollow words and platitudes.

Theres another way of looking at it, but you run the risk of becoming frenzied PETA type activists (and lets keep things in perspective, no one got killed here.. a guy had to sleep in a car).

But the company bank is RBS. If every Soldier, Sailor and Airman who banked with RBS just upped and left in protest at their bank bankrolling companies such as American Amusements who showed a corporate policy out of step with our own personal policy, then the message would soon get across.

MaroonMan4,

Do you mean this Cross-Governmental review?

The nation's commitment

The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans

There are some good guys out there. A mate has just dropped of a leaflet from John Smiths (the brewers). They've brewed a beer called 'Finest Hour'. 10p from every pint sold will go to RAFA.

Gives me another excuse to use my local.

LBC Radio
 

James O'Brien is debating this on LBC 97.2. He's inviting calls, go online @ London's Biggest Conversation | LBC.

Let's really get this bloody place listed, Email has been sent to this pathetic organization. I just called and left the line open, he he naughty, but saved me swearing like a trooper.

Epi,

Sadly I am not as well versed in the political level, but a sincere thank you for enlightening me. It will be interesting to see where this goes, because it is so very wrong on so many levels that it really does need some prompt action to ensure that this kind of 'policy' is stopped.

And I know that this is one rotten apple in a barrel of superb apples that are very proactive in supporting us, so it has to be focused and directed at this company.

Has anybody asked him the reason for the policy in your emails? I don't think a small business is going to deliberately turn away customers without a business reason to do so.

Just a possibility, but maybe he has had a few too many service personnel drinking too much, being abusive to other guests, smashing up their rooms, then leaving without paying for the damage. I've never, ever, heard of service personnel doing that, of course, but it might be a possibility.

Talksport
 

This item is being talked about on Talksport right now (the largest commercial radio station in the UK). Their frequency is 1053 and 1089 AM.

This whole thing makes me feel sick. My own company actively supports Help for Heroes, and gives 10% discount to forces, and their families. As a "past it old timer" I feel it's the least I can do to show my loyalty and support to our troops. At this point I somehow (sadly) feel that any politicians reading this may have to consult a dictionary to look up "loyalty"

Barnstormer1968

MaroonMan4,

Indeed the content of the cross-governmental review describes many important areas, and it's a fairly good document considering it was done relatively quickly (couple of months this year, and dependants had the chance to contribute on-line).

A cynic might say that they did it only because the Tories were pushing the "broken covenant" agenda just beforehand.

Now it's a case of turning Chapter 2 "What we (govt) will do" from words into deeds.

Just emailed the :mad:s telling them that I had now cancelled my planned corporate party at the Big Apple.

Anyone know how to contact Clarkson? He's generally good at publisizing this sort of thing.

Interested to know why he was showing his ID card as a start, was he trying to get discount? must admit its summat I do more and more now, and does work, or was he asked fr soem sort of ID when checking in?

That aside, i do agree it is disgracefull, had he turned up and been a tanned chap and turned away for that reason what would have been the outcome?

Sad thing is establishments do have the right to refuse entry to anyone, and actually do not have to give a reason, shocked that anywhere in this day and age would refuse on basis that you are in the military

Whats the contact number for the company CEO

Quite outrageous and I hope that this awful place will be publically humiliated.

A pity it isn't Germany in pre-BAOR 'Occupation' times....

One fine day, a thirsty group of British servicemen went into a Gasthof and received a frosty reception "Ve do not serve Army in zis bar!".

Whereupon they left without saying anything. Now, most people would be distinctly worried by this, but not the barman. Until, that is a squealing and screeching noise, followed by a whirring sound was noted. The group were a tank crew, and they had brought their vehicle to 'say hello'. The turret rotated and the barrel broke the bar window, causing the occupants to leg it sharpish. "One round, blank, load!" (or similar) "Fire!". And with an almighty BANG, every last piece of glass in the bar shattered.

"Well, it seems you don't serve f*cking anyone in this bar now, do you Fritz?" was the parting comment!

What a shame that similar treatment cannot be meted out to this 'hotel'.

When my brother was a student in London, he and his friends were asked to leave the pub they were in as "We don't like students"..... So, a few days later, affecting an Irish accent he booked the whole pub for the entire night for the London Irish Rugby Supporters' Club.

I'd loved to have seen their faces when no-one turned up and they lost a whole night's trade....:E

I can help there. The second director is a Duncan Geoffrey Frank Moss & the holding company; American Amusements Ltd has a net worth of £10.5 million. I feel a donation to a charity of Corporal Stringer's choice may be in order.

So in theory someone could book a bunch of rooms at this place, and then cancel them a half hour before the penalty cancellation time? No personal expense but some cashflow lost by the hotel .......

Absolutely outrageous
 

Suffice to say that the boys and girls over at ARRSE are suitably unimpressed and are suggesting all sorts of lovely ways for people to express their feelings :E

British Army Rumour Service > > Forums > > The Serious Bit > > Current Affairs, News and Analysis > > Soldier is refused room at hotel

They have also .. err .. 'mentioned it' to certain tabloids. I bet the hotel management just can't wait for the call from The Sun. Tee hee


"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of outrage"

I really do think that if this totally unacceptable attitude from hoteliers and barkeepers prevails then, Yes, let us have a list of the baddies and equally a list of the gooduns. It could be published in the Soldier magazine as well as the many Corps magazines and their RN, RM and RAF equivalents. Any serving or ex serving people will then boycott such establishments and at the same time help to publicise them for their intolerance. Maybe the Red tops would publish it too? Obviously some legal restraints may apply but it could be done, publish a 'Blacklist' of any establishment that overtly refuses a serviceman or woman and a 'Goldlist' of the friendly establishments.

I'll give GBP100.00 to any proper fund to set this up, in a society that is is so up itself with correctness and anti-discrimination it should be a doddle to get going.

cargosales, we tend to use the term 'jumping on the outrage bus' over the road.

If this case proves to be true.............

The cynic in me thinks that ascertaining Mum's involvement may be crucial in getting to the truth.

Job Anyone?
 

Arrse has pulled the thread as people published names and residential addresses of some of the alleged Directors of the company/parent company.

Bet if the management policy was to refuse entry to certain ethnic brethren this would have been discussed in parliament by now !! Bloody strange country this

I hope CHBS or Hogg Robinson or whatever they are called today have responded to the hotel's policy and pulled this chain from their list.

I find this absolutly disgusting. As jamma said, you cant turn someone away for being from an ethnic minority so why is this allowed??

As a country we must support our troops and treating them like second class citzens is out of order! I will not be putting any of mine, or anyone elses money their way for this blatant unpatriotic act!!!

The Daily Telegraph already has hold of the story, complete with MoD comments.

Under the blogs section. Unable to offer a link as I'm using Google Chrome. Fault no 1.

Should make it illegal to discriminate against people on the grounds of their job, in the same way that it is illegal to discriminate against someone because of their, colour, religeon, sexual orientation etc

Nothing about refusing the military on their website:
Metro Hotel-Woking - Woking, - Discounted Rates.

Not sure that this true; I seem to remember somewhere that non-private hotels could not turn anyone away who was 'fit and able to pay'. Different for private hotels. But I'll check.

Me too, and so far so good.

Just heard on R5live that the company has issued an apology to Corporal Tomos Stringer

Zoom,

Er, just what exactly is a non private hotel?


You cannot force a business or an individual to do business with anyone.

Discrimination on race, gender, sexuality or age is illegal but that is the law, doesn't mean that you can force anyone to trade with anyone else.

All of the publicity on this case should see the result you all want. I also think that the reaction should once and for all put to rest the ridiculous notion that most people in this country do not hold our armed forces in a good degree of respect.

Now reported in The Times but with a summary of the day's outcry, esp on ARRSE

Soldier forced to sleep in car after hotel refuses him a room - Times Online