Does anyone else think that the hotel that refused the soldier should be investigated?

Question

I think it is beyond words that a soldier who had just been injured in Afghanistan should be refused the opportunity to stay in an hotel. I think the ownership and management should be investigated. They have yet to put their heads above the parapet but I should like to know who these cowards are. There are laws for all kinds of discrimination in Britain and this is surely discrimination. They are now saying that the hotel has no such ruling and blaming it on the Receptionist. What do you think?

Answer 1

an investigation would solve nothing...the damage is already done & they are keeping fairly quiet about it...maybe they should compensate him somehow....terrible thing though!

Answer 2

Yes it's disgusting, typical of management blame it on the poor receptionist

Answer 3

What company owns the hotel chain?

Many years ago signs in Norfolk VA use to say, Dogs and Sailors keep off the grass.

Answer 4

The receptionist has been used, and if you want disgraceful,

the story widely reported of soldiers who had been injured, lost limbs in combat, and were at a public swimming pool and a woman complained that her swimming and enjoyment was being interfered with seeing these disabled servicemen..  And the poor guys were asked to leave. I would have horsewhipped the woman and sacked the manager of the leisure centre.  

Answer 5

why should they have the automatic right to stay at any hotel, it is a business and if they don`t want a certain person staying there then it`s entirely up to them, some army lads are louts when they are off duty as well you all know, they are human beings doing a job and getting paid for it, they don`t have to join the army if they don`t want to go and fight and possibly get injured they all know what might happen, just like the police, firemen, ambulancemen, nurses, etc, they all do jobs some of us wouldn`t do, why are they all automatic heroes because they are doing a job they want to do.

Answer 6

Obviously the receptionist is being used as a scapegoat and yes this hotel should be thoroughly investigated as this is blatant discrimination - they should be ashamed of themselves

Answer 7

I don't disagree with the questioner, but having lived very close to Woking I do know that there are a lot of service personnel in the area and they can be quite 'lively' as Ron mentioned.

What shocks me the most is that there used to be facilities for our servicemen that have disappeared. For example there were a couple o soecialised army hospitals in the area, but they seem to have been closed down.

There should be hotels, pubs clubs and anything else that offer discounts a special offers to serving personnel not bar them

Answer 8

No. Just avoided. People should shun the hotel. There's no greater punishment than zero profits.

Answer 9

" I think the owners and those responsible should be taken out to the war zone and be made to go out on point with that lads patrol , ide bet they would soon change there attitudes to the armed services then "

Answer 10

As an ex serviceman I have two points of view on this question, firstly it sounds absolutely horrendous that any hotel could take this attitude, and I think the management will be rightly embarrassed about it.

On the other hand there is another point of view that has not been mentioned or perhaps thought of.

When I came out of the RAF I tried to stay in a hotel in Brekon and they actually had a sign on the door which said that the army were not welcome and I was rightly annoyed.

But it is a sad fact of life that where there are barracks for young soldiers, there is often trouble with excessive drinking and brawling, hotels and pubs are within their rights to ban people they consider to be trouble.

I read about this ban but I don't know if it was near such barracks.

Please don't think I'm siding with the hotel, I'm certainly not, but I do like a balanced view.

Answer 11

A hotel is a business and should have the right to refuse business to anyone as long as there isn't a pattern of discrimination as defined by law.  If it really was the receptionist and not policy, the business can show this by terminating the receptionist.

The public has a right to react to a business decision.  Refusing to use that hotel or chain would be appropriate reaction.

Investigation isn't necessary.

Answer 12

Surely if someone can be prosecuted for discrimination in the workplace & for colour, race & whatever then here,s a case for the full implementation of the law, no good saying it,s the receptionist the buck should always stop at top management.