boycott butlins

[AuntiePickleBottom]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-14063859

you would of thought with SN they would accept the booking

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-14063859

They should make an exception in this case but I can understand the policy.

It does seem unkind but I do think that large groups can be intimidtaing for the other guests.

Imagine if it was a stag/hen do.

I don't go to Butlins anyway so am happy to boycott.

domedon, these are adult with learning difficultys.....totally diffrent to hen/stag do

Agree with velveteen - they are not discriminating against them because they are SN, they just dont take bookings for 36 adults. I dont see why they should change the riles because they are SN....I though SN are fighting for the same rights (quite rightly) as others - they cant complain then when they are treated as others are.

Can't boycott Butlins anyway - DS going there in August with a friend and is excited beyond belief!

No because they do have a limit on large group sizes, they have done for years. I imagine it's because they want to do stuff as a group, that can become a problem.

And I say that as a mum of two SN kids.

To be honest I don't know why it's so popular with SN people, the staff weren't particularly nice towards them, when we went this year not one redcoat spoke to any of the SN kids in our group of three, at one point my son grabbed the arm of one to get his attention and he was blanked because the guy couldn't understand what he was saying.

And THEN there was a security guard who leapt on my boy because he'd ran into a private area, bearing in mind he's autistic and doesn't like being touched it didn't go down too well and I had to deal with the fallout.

Personally I can't stand the place, can see why the kids do tho so we go every few years, because i'm a kind and giving parent

The care home should have kept quiet and booked seperately under different names anyways !

seems very unkind of them, butlins has a spokesperson who will probably post on here in a bit

They don't accept large family groups either, even those with kids in.

The previous posters are right, they are not being discriminated against because they have SN, in fact they are being treated the same as everyone else, which is how it should be. 2 groups of 18 sounds the perfect comptomise, they probably wouldn't allow groups of 18 in other circumstances (I think most places would not have more than 10 and most do not accept all same sex bookings). For this reason, I see no need to boycott Butlins (not that I have ever been lol).

I agree with VelveteenRabbit and BettySwollocks.

The group are not being discriminated against because they are people with SN. Butlins has a policy and the booking was not in line with that.

I though SN are fighting for the same rights (quite rightly) as others - they cant complain then when they are treated as others are.

Absolutely.

I have been boycotting Butlins all my life

But in all seriousness, it is a shame they could not have taken due consideration and maybe offered some solutions or compromises at least.

I can't boycott Butlins, but agree with the other posters. I think the Friday group should appeal to their council who pay for the trip to let them go in two seperate groups.

That's why I said 'imagine if' - you are focussing on the SN aspect but Butlins said no due to size not disability. Yes I think it would be kinder to allow them - due to the respite care needed by the families and the fact they have been going for years. But it is a group size policy which I can understand.

What struck me about this story was the Butlins' spokesman saying that they haven't been contacted directly about this problem, and they'd be willing to accept the group if it was split into two smaller groups on two different holidays.

It sounds like the group organisers have gone straight to the press, instead of trying to talk directly to Butlins about the problem, to see if there is a solution. I'm afraid it bugs me when people do this - going to the press should be one of the later options, not your first recourse when you have a problem. Butlins haven't been given a chance to sort this out before it went ot the press, and the calls for a boycott started - is that really the right way to handle things?

Still say they should have been crafty and booked under two or three different names, that's what most people do to get around it.

But LDN, they did offer a compromise of the two seperate bookings.

They have followed the procedures, and treated this group as they would any other large group, as they should do.

DavidTennantsGirl - no it's not the right way to handle something. Although it is the way some people handle things when they've got a point to make. Unfortunately, they don't realise that they often end up making things far worse. I doubt Butlins would appreciate feeling they'd been backed into a corner!

Butlins are not being unreasonable.

The organisers of this group are being ridiculous to run straight to the press over something that is a general rule and has nothing to do with disability.

They can't expect different rules just because of disability

no dont agree with misplaced ire

Oh please, boycott this, boycott that, how many businesses run by bloody angels can we use?

It actually does say on the Butlins website that if your group is larger than x-number of members (can't remember the number) then you should contact them directly to see what arrangements can be made. They don't allow large groups for various reasons, regardless of the fine details. They've been fair in offering a compromise of booking as two separate groups when, by their own policy, they were under no obligation to do so. From what I've seen/heard of the customer services side of their operation they are fairly willing to put things right when someone has a complaint.

I can't boycott them, I booked up earlier today and the lovely woman on the phone gave me an additional discount (on top of the special offer price quoted) to apologise for the fact I wasn't eligible for a "premium club member" discount.

Totally agree with the others.

If Butlins have a policy that they do not accept large groups, then the group in question should respect that.

You can't demand equal rights for certain groups, and then expect special favours when it suits you - that's just hypocritical. Butlins have been fair in offering the trip to be run in two separate groups.

Why did Butlins accept the booking in the 1st place? They must've known how large the group were.
I vote all mums and dads of SEN kids/adults book exactly the same week next year. Let's see them get out of that one!

If as Butlins claim children can be intimidated by disabled people then surely education is the key to enabling them to understand that everyone may be born different but everyone is equal. That way we might go some way to having an inclusive society instead of the crappy one we've got lumbered with.

But if they booked the same week under 4 different bookings it would be ok!!!
Bizarre reaction!!