A woman claims she was turned away from a Manchester hotel for not paying a £1.20 tourist tax with a card, leaving her stranded in the cold.
Margaret, who’s 63 and has some mobility issues, arrived at the Britannia Hotel after a long trip from Lincolnshire. When she got there, she was told she needed to pay that small fee on top of her booking. But here’s the kicker: she prefers to pay in cash because she struggles with remembering her PIN numbers.
She explained to the staff that cash is easier for her, but they insisted she had to use a card. Margaret said she even offered them £1.50 in cash, but they wouldn’t take it. It’s wild, right? She felt like they just didn’t care about her situation.
Things got worse when they told her she had to leave if she couldn’t pay with a card. Imagine being turned away from a hotel in the freezing cold! She stood outside for about 15 minutes, feeling lost and scared.
Eventually, a friend tried to help by offering to pay online or over the phone, but the hotel staff said no. After a while, Margaret found a card that worked without needing a PIN, and finally, she could check in. But the whole experience left her feeling anxious and embarrassed.
Margaret couldn’t believe how ridiculous it was. She thought cash was still legal tender. She mentioned that she had no issues at another Britannia hotel before, but the staff just shrugged it off. It’s frustrating to think that not everyone has a card, especially when it comes to something as small as a £1.20 fee.
She was really upset about being turned away after already paying for her room. It made her wonder how they treat other disabled people. It’s sad that she’s used to these kinds of situations happening. The Manchester Evening News has reached out to the hotel for a comment, but it’s clear that something needs to change.
