Homeless men turned away from Holiday Inn hotel in sub-zero temperatures
Two homeless people were refused entry to the Holiday Inn hotel in Manchester when the temperature dropped below zero, despite the well-wishers having made a reservation and paid for their accommodation in advance.
In a video of the incident that went viral, staff can be heard telling the men: “I know you’re from the street and the hotel won’t allow it.”
One of the men who was turned away told the BBC it was “disgusting” and hotel staff made the decision “immediately”.
Callum McDonagh, 30, who has been homeless for eight years, said sleeping on the street in this weather could be “scary”, adding: “It made me feel inadequate
“I didn’t feel good enough for that hotel. As a homeless person, I felt ashamed.”
Amanda Thompson, who works for homelessness charity Two Brews, accompanied the men to the reception of the Holiday Inn on Oxford Street after their £200 rooms were booked online using donations and her own money.
“I sorted that out, got approval and they were taken down to spend the night. Once we got there there was complete discrimination just in terms of appearance. It’s disgusting,” she said. the Manchester Evening News.
He added: “I can’t understand how you can get to a table with a paid-for reservation and be turned away just because you overslept.
“They could have been hard-working men and they were judged by how they looked. They just took one look at them and made a decision. It’s inhumane.”
Temperatures dropped to -6C on Monday evening; A yellow cold weather alert has been issued across the country and numerous weather warnings have been issued for snow and icy conditions.
In the video shot by Ms Thompson and shared online, the receptionist can be heard saying: “Guys, I’m not going to lie to you, I’m not going to be able to check you in. All truth and transparency, I know you’re from the street and the hotel won’t allow it.
“It’s nothing personal. We know the people, I’ve been doing the door for a long time. It’s the company’s policy. It’s the company’s policy, not mine personally.”
After being refused entry, the men were taken to a nearby Travelodge, which was housing many homeless people that evening.
A spokesperson for Holiday Inn Express Manchester has since apologized, saying the incident was “not in line with our policy of welcoming everyone”.
“After speaking with team members, we realized this incident was not in line with our welcoming policy and should have been handled differently,” they added.
The hotel is “taking steps internally to strengthen our training,” the spokesperson said.
