A woman claims she was kicked out of a hotel for not paying a £1.20 tax, leaving her stranded in Manchester at night
Manchester: So, there’s this woman named Margaret Jones, right? She says she got booted out of a hotel because she couldn’t pay a £1.20 tourist tax. Can you believe that? She was just trying to enjoy a night in the city.
Margaret, who’s 63 and has some mobility issues, arrived at the Britannia Hotel after a long trip from Lincolnshire. It was late, around 9 PM, and she just wanted to check in and relax.
But when she got to the front desk, they told her she had to pay that extra £1.20 on top of her booking. Now, here’s the kicker: Margaret usually pays in cash because she struggles with remembering her card PINs. That can really freak her out.
She asked if she could pay the tax in cash, but the staff said no way. They insisted she had to use a card. Margaret explained her situation, saying, “I don’t like using my card.” But they just wouldn’t budge.
She even tried to give them £1.50 in cash, but they turned it down. It’s wild! She said she told them about her memory issues, but they didn’t seem to care at all.
Then, they told her she had to leave if she couldn’t pay with a card. Imagine that! She was left outside in the cold, shaking and crying, not knowing what to do.
After about 15 minutes of standing there, a friend tried to help by offering to pay online or over the phone, but the hotel staff said it was too late for that too. How frustrating!
Finally, Margaret found a card that worked for a tap payment, and she was able to pay the fee. But the whole experience left her feeling anxious and embarrassed. She couldn’t believe how she was treated.
Margaret said, “I thought cash was legal tender.” She mentioned that she had no issues at another Britannia hotel before, but this time was just a nightmare. She’s worried about how disabled people are treated in situations like this.
It’s just sad to see someone who’s already facing challenges being treated this way. She’s right; not everyone has a card, and hotels should be more accommodating. Let’s hope they take a good look at their policies.
Britannia Hotels and the Manchester Accommodation BID have been reached out to for comments, but it’s clear something needs to change.
