Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To think this is blatant discrimination??

17 replies

Teaformeplz · 03/08/2018 17:43

So I'm a (proud) member of the travelling community.

Went to my local cinema on Sunday and there were lots of other travellers in the car park outside that is shared by all the facilities on the leisure park. Went to walk into the cinema with a friend after seeing many other non-travellers walk in and were stopped by a security guard from entering.

I asked why we weren't allowed in and he said "do you want the truth" I said yes and his reply was "we are not letting ANY travellers in today". Now I am well aware of the stigma attached to my community and of the way SOME people act, however I think this was completely and utterly discriminative. Tried to say I was just going to see a film with a friend and he wouldn't have any of it.

I contacted the cinema and all they have offered was 2 free tickets which I don't think was at all good enough. What can I do?? Do they have a right to do this?

OP posts:

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/08/2018 17:46

How do you tell a traveller from a non-traveller just by looking?

I'm pretty sure they are not allowed to do that, but sadly unless you have the money for lawyers I'm not sure there is lot you can do which is shit. I hope I am wrong.

Original poster

Teaformeplz · 03/08/2018 17:48

He was judging it solely by looks

OP posts:

ProfessorMoody · 03/08/2018 17:49

Nope, they absolutely can't do this. It would be the same as refusing a black person or someone in a wheelchair.

Kick off, involve the media, Tweet it etc.

BlueBug45 · 03/08/2018 17:51

No they don't.

You can shame them using the media including social media

AWomanIsAnAdultHumanFemale · 03/08/2018 17:52

It’s absolutely Discrimination and how the hell are free tickets going to help when the guard won’t let you in??

BigPinkBall · 03/08/2018 17:57

I guess it’s legally discrimination under the equality act, which is a civil offence rather than criminal so contact the equality advisory support service on 0808 800 0082 (its a free number) and they can tell you how to proceed, and I believe they can contact the cinema on your behalf to let them know where they went wrong and what they can do to avoid this situation in future.

I’m sorry you’ve had to experience this.

Original poster

Teaformeplz · 03/08/2018 17:59

Don't have Twitter etc so can't do that but those were my thoughts exactly re coloured/disabled people

OP posts:

YeTalkShiteHen · 03/08/2018 18:00

No they absolutely don’t have a right to do this, and in fact were breaking the law!

It’s (rightly) completely illegal to discriminate against someone based on culture/faith/race/origins.

How bloody humiliating for you OP, and really unfair.

I honestly don’t understand the vitriol towards travellers. One of my good friends is from a family of travellers (there are two large traveller families in our local area) and she faces it all the time, for literally no reason other than that she’s a traveller!

Pengggwn · 03/08/2018 18:00

It is utterly unacceptable. Tell the cinema to compensate you appropriately or you will be instructing a solicitor.

I wouldn't bother with the media. They might publish a sad picture of you standing outside the cinema but it won't affect their business.

Di11y · 03/08/2018 18:05

Name and shame here - totally unacceptable

Original poster

Teaformeplz · 03/08/2018 18:40

It was a showcase cinema. Just so tired of places thinking it's acceptable to do this in this day and age and nothing ever being done about it

OP posts:

YeTalkShiteHen · 03/08/2018 18:42

Ach you weren’t in Coatbridge were you OP? I know they can be a bit twatty sometimes (although this obviously goes beyond a bit twatty)

Rebecca36 · 03/08/2018 18:51

I think it's appalling that you were refused entry to the cinema, I despise prejudice of all kinds. However what another poster said about it being expensive to take to court or whatever is true.

As you have been offered two free tickets, I suggest you ask for four and you could contact your local paper with the story. They'd love it.

Original poster

Teaformeplz · 03/08/2018 18:57

Nope not Coatbridge but doesn't surprise me it's happening elsewhere also! Any number of free tickets will be useless as I won't be going there in future as I can't support a company who are okay with this. I'm sure the media would love this but I don't want to be in the news

OP posts:

YeTalkShiteHen · 03/08/2018 19:19

It’s just really shit that in the UK in 2018 this shit is happening. I’m totally at a loss.

imsotiredofitall · 04/08/2018 04:14

racism. really sorry you experienced this

IamSerena · 04/08/2018 04:50

Disgusting behaviour. There are badly behaved people in every community so why the travelilng community was targeted on this occasion is unfair although not uncommon.
Growing up in Ireland we had some members of the travelling community visit our school and it really was eye opening. It's a pity this is not more common in the UK. It would definitely encourage understanding between communities.
It might be un-PC to say it but the travelling community are recognisable, that didn't mean they deserve to be treated as second class citizens. I'm sorry you were treated this way. Its not fair

Flip