Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think Premier Inn should’ve let homeless in.

407 replies

Oddish · 06/03/2018 13:03

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/premier-inn-homeless-people-turned-away-customer-paying-westonsupermare-a8240171.html

A woman who couldn’t make her mass booking of 19 rooms due to the weather last week offered the rooms to the homeless in the area via a charity’s Facebook.
A couple who had a flooded home were also given a room.
Flood couple let in no problem, homeless people who attended with charity rep were turned away.
Now Premier are saying they needed the lead room booker to be there and ID to be presented which is obviously bollocks because the flooded home couple were allowed in with no problem.

AIBU to think they should’ve let them in, it was bitterly cold and I think they acted heartlessly. Then the backtracking that followed. AIBU to boycott them? Would you?

OP posts:
DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 06/03/2018 13:04

I can’t really boycott a service I never use, but yes, on the face of it, it at the very least seems extremely mean spirited of them.

WhenEnoughIsEnough · 06/03/2018 13:08

Absolutely terrible. They had the lead room bookers permission and like you said the couple's house that flooded let in no problem. I don't understand the inhumanity of people sometimes. A room and breakfast that was already paid for to help out those that needed it the most and they turned them away.b

Original poster
Oddish · 06/03/2018 13:08

They are owned by Whitbread who also own Costa Coffee.

OP posts:
AnaWinter · 06/03/2018 13:10

How awful. I wouldn’t stay in a Premier Inn anyway but I agree with your sentiment.

DancesWithOtters · 06/03/2018 13:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnaWinter · 06/03/2018 13:11

Costa is awful too.

turnipfarmers · 06/03/2018 13:13

I can't say I blame them, I mean why would they want, dirty, unhygienic homeless people in their rooms who are probably going to ruin it for the decent, honest guests who will be staying there? Angry

guest2013 · 06/03/2018 13:13

People who are homeless often have plenty of other issues. Drugs, smoking, drinking.. They might have been worried about the other guests. I can understand.

Shoppingwithmother · 06/03/2018 13:14

What’s so awful about Costa?

expatinscotland · 06/03/2018 13:14

No, I won't be boycotting them. It's at their discretion who they let in. They're not a homeless shelter. They're heavily automated with most places have few staff about at night and then usually female staff. They're liable for the reasonable safety of all their guests on the premises. You're also not entitled to pass on booking without their permission, because you're paying for the hire of the space, it's not yours to dispose of how you wish. As for no refunds, if you book on their non-flexible rate, it's very clear you are not entitled to make any amendments to the booking or to a refund except at their own discretion.

I've used them loads and will continue to do so.

It's rather rich of politicians like Corbyn who live in huge houses to scorn Premier Inn when they were also perfectly at liberty to open their property(ies) to the homeless and still are.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 06/03/2018 13:14

Most homeless people are drunk takers. I can understand them not wanting that brought in to their hotel. Also what if they didn’t leave again?

borlottibeans · 06/03/2018 13:16

I also stay (stayed, now) in Premier Inns all over the place and have never once been asked for any ID, so it's obvious they just wanted to block the use of the rooms. Just appalling.

Passthecake30 · 06/03/2018 13:16

I can understand too. But they could've done something... donation/bedding/food?

expatinscotland · 06/03/2018 13:16

'I've stayed in a PI many times in different cities and have never had to provide ID, most recently 2 weeks ago.

You can also check in online now if you're paid by card online, so when you get there all you do is give them your booking ref and they had over the key.'

So in other words, you have to know enough about the identity of the booker to get hold of their booking ref and details or it's not likely you'll be able to check in and be handed a key, so in that sense, they're checking ID.

Crispbutty · 06/03/2018 13:17

they had no ID, the staff would have had no idea what problems they might bring as many are sadly alcoholics, have mental health issues, and it could have put other guests and staff safety at risk.

I’m not saying that they shouldn’t have been helped in the horrific weather, but churches and community centres and not hotels would be the way to go.

MojoMoon · 06/03/2018 13:17

I actually have some sympathy with the hotel manager.

I am a volunteer leader at a winter night shelter and run one night a week in a church hall.

Many of our guests are wonderful, easy going people who are easy to accomodate and take care of.

But some are really challenging due to mental health, alcoholism and drug problems. We have two professional support workers employed to support guests while volunteers run the food and accommodation side. And we still have to exclude and ban people for poor behaviour sometimes and this includes aggression or sexually inappropriate behaviour towards our staff and volunteers
Putting them all in one premier Inn with no support workers and sufficient support for staff there may not have been a great idea if they were high needs guests. I'm not sure I would want to take that risk if I were the hotel manager.

Really we need more professionally run shelters with trained staff.

Yes, obviously a stag party could be aggressive and trash rooms too. But there is a risk to accomodating 19 unknown and unsupported homeless guests somewhere where staff have no training.

Theresasmayshoes11 · 06/03/2018 13:17

They are a business though not a charity. Guessing they were worried about drugs, alcohol etc. I think yo Blame them is passing the buck. It’s a serious problem that needs long term solutions snow or no snow.

I do obviousiy see the points above though.

expatinscotland · 06/03/2018 13:18

'I can understand too. But they could've done something... donation/bedding/food?'

So could anyone else. Why should they be more accountable to do so then anyone else?

There's a lot of Lady Bountifuls about who are mighty free and easy with other peoples' good and property.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 06/03/2018 13:18

Big fan of Premier Inn, definitely won’t be boycotting. They were put in a very unusual situation. I can understand their reticence.

Lemongingertea80 · 06/03/2018 13:19

Homelessness is being romanticised by the media. It is a very complex problem and I can understand premier Inn not wanting to open its rooms to people with very complex problems, of which one is having no permanent address.

Original poster
Oddish · 06/03/2018 13:19

Are you actually for REAL turnip ?

These are people. They’d be a lot less smelly and unhygienic after using the showers there.

OP posts:
turnipfarmers · 06/03/2018 13:20

I was being sarcastic, hence the Angry at the end that their awful attitude.

Blinkyblink · 06/03/2018 13:20

Would you have let homeless people in OP? Have you offered up your home to homeless people in bad weather?

No I won’t be boycotting PI

Original poster
Oddish · 06/03/2018 13:21

Sorry, didn’t translate well over internet Blush

OP posts:
MyBrilliantDisguise · 06/03/2018 13:21

How would you make sure they had a shower?

Love how Premier Inn are being held accountable when no other hotel was letting them stay, either.