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| Trip Advisor couple 'fined' £100 for giving 'filthy stinking hovel' of a hotel bad review | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A couple who gave a “filthy” hotel a negative review on Trip Advisor have been 'fined' £100 by staff at the Blackpool establishment. | A couple who gave a “filthy” hotel a negative review on Trip Advisor have been 'fined' £100 by staff at the Blackpool establishment. |
| Tony and Jan Jenkinson described the Broadway Hotel as a “filthy stinking hovel”, but afterwards the couple from Whitehaven discovered that £100 cash had been charged to their credit card. | Tony and Jan Jenkinson described the Broadway Hotel as a “filthy stinking hovel”, but afterwards the couple from Whitehaven discovered that £100 cash had been charged to their credit card. |
| Querying the bill, they claimed the manager told them the terms and conditions on the booking form were very particular, adding that the hotel operated a strict “no bad review” policy. | Querying the bill, they claimed the manager told them the terms and conditions on the booking form were very particular, adding that the hotel operated a strict “no bad review” policy. |
| The booking form states: “Despite the fact that repeat customers and couples love our hotel, your friends and family may not. For every bad review left on any website, the group organiser will be charged a maximum £100 per review.” | The booking form states: “Despite the fact that repeat customers and couples love our hotel, your friends and family may not. For every bad review left on any website, the group organiser will be charged a maximum £100 per review.” |
| Other Trip Advisor reviews on the hotel are equally unenthusiastic, with the establishment ranked 858th out of 894 hotels in Blackpool. One guest writes: “This is the worst hotel I have ever stayed in.” | Other Trip Advisor reviews on the hotel are equally unenthusiastic, with the establishment ranked 858th out of 894 hotels in Blackpool. One guest writes: “This is the worst hotel I have ever stayed in.” |
| Mr and Mrs Jenkinson discuss their stay on the BBC Another unhappy guest described the state of his room as being so bad, that he “wouldn't let a dog stay there”. | Mr and Mrs Jenkinson discuss their stay on the BBC Another unhappy guest described the state of his room as being so bad, that he “wouldn't let a dog stay there”. |
| The Jenkinson’s decided to stay in the hotel because it had a car park and paid £36 for their double room. | The Jenkinson’s decided to stay in the hotel because it had a car park and paid £36 for their double room. |
| Mr Jenkinson, a 63-year-old retired van driver, said that although the detail was in the booking policy his wife did not have her glasses on when she signed it and so missed the detail. | Mr Jenkinson, a 63-year-old retired van driver, said that although the detail was in the booking policy his wife did not have her glasses on when she signed it and so missed the detail. |
| He told the BBC that they intended to fight the charge: "Annoyed isn't strong enough for how I feel about this, what happened to freedom of speech? | He told the BBC that they intended to fight the charge: "Annoyed isn't strong enough for how I feel about this, what happened to freedom of speech? |
| "Everybody we have spoken to says they (the hotel) are not allowed to do this." | "Everybody we have spoken to says they (the hotel) are not allowed to do this." |
| The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder labelled the couple's treatment "completely out of order," adding that they had done everything within their rights - informing management that there were items broken and giving them an opportunity to fix them. | The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder labelled the couple's treatment "completely out of order," adding that they had done everything within their rights - informing management that there were items broken and giving them an opportunity to fix them. |
| A still from Trip Advisor's homepage Trading standards officers at Cumbria are currently investigating the hotel’s “novel” policy. | A still from Trip Advisor's homepage Trading standards officers at Cumbria are currently investigating the hotel’s “novel” policy. |
| John Greenbank, north trading standards area manager, said: "I have worked for trading standards for many years and have never seen anything like this. | John Greenbank, north trading standards area manager, said: "I have worked for trading standards for many years and have never seen anything like this. |
| "The hotel management clearly thinks they have come up with a novel way to prevent bad reviews, however we believe this could be deemed an unfair trading practice." | "The hotel management clearly thinks they have come up with a novel way to prevent bad reviews, however we believe this could be deemed an unfair trading practice." |
| It has now emerged that the hotel will no longer levy 'fines', trading standards have confirmed to The Independent. | It has now emerged that the hotel will no longer levy 'fines', trading standards have confirmed to The Independent. |
| Blackpool councillor Gillian Campbell, cabinet member responsible for public protection, said: “Our trading standards team became aware of this issue last week. As a result, we spoke to the hotel owner and asked for the policy to be removed, which has now happened." | Blackpool councillor Gillian Campbell, cabinet member responsible for public protection, said: “Our trading standards team became aware of this issue last week. As a result, we spoke to the hotel owner and asked for the policy to be removed, which has now happened." |
| Broadway Hotel did not respond to requests for comment. | Broadway Hotel did not respond to requests for comment. |