Holidaymaker Booted Out Into Cold by Hotel Over £1.20 Tourist Tax
A woman claims she was kicked out of a Manchester hotel for not paying a £1.20 tax
Manchester, UK, Tourist Tax, Hotel, Disabled, Margaret Jones
Manchester: So, there’s this woman named Margaret Jones, right? She says she got booted from a hotel because she couldn’t pay a £1.20 tourist tax. Can you believe that? She was just trying to enjoy a night out in the city.
Margaret, who’s 63 and has some mobility issues, arrived at the Britannia Hotel after a long trip from Lincolnshire. She got there around 9 PM, ready to settle in for the night.
But when she got to the front desk, they told her she needed to pay that extra £1.20 on top of her booking. Now, because of her memory loss, she usually pays in cash. She often forgets her card PIN, which can really stress her out.
She asked if she could pay the tax in cash, but the staff said no. Even when she offered them £1.50 in cash, they turned her down. Margaret explained her situation, but they just didn’t seem to care.
She was told she had to leave if she couldn’t pay with a card. Imagine that! She tried to use her card, but it asked for her PIN, which she couldn’t remember. They actually turned her away, leaving her outside in the cold. She was shaking and crying, feeling completely lost.
Margaret stood outside for about 15 minutes until a friend offered to help pay online or over the phone. But guess what? The hotel staff refused that too, saying it was too late for online payments. It’s like they just didn’t want to help her at all.
Finally, she found a card that let her tap to pay without needing a PIN. After all that hassle, she got her room for the night. But the whole experience left her feeling anxious and embarrassed. She couldn’t believe how she was treated.
Margaret thought cash was still legal tender. She mentioned that she had no issues at another Britannia hotel before. It just seems unfair that they wouldn’t accept cash, especially for a small fee like that. She was really upset about being turned away, especially since she has mobility issues.
She’s right, though. If they treat disabled people this way, what about everyone else? It’s just not okay. Margaret feels like hotels should be more accommodating for people with disabilities. It’s a shame that this kind of thing happens all too often.
Britannia Hotels and the Manchester Accommodation BID have been reached out to for comments on this situation.