Butlins break cancelled because "we aren't on the electoral roll"

[Butterlins]

Firstly - we are on the electoral roll, always have been, have voted in every general and local election, and can provide proof of being on the electoral roll.

We got a letter from Butlins today - I only picked it up at 6pm because I was working today, so I haven't been able to ring customer services. The letter says (happy to post it on here) that because we aren't on the electoral roll, our break has been cancelled, our money will be refunded, and this decision is final and cannot be reversed. *
*
A small amount of googling has shown me that Butlins do this for anyone with an Irish/traveller sounding surname. Surprise surprise, we have a surname common in the travelling community.
There is a number to call to "arrange your refund", and my googling has shown that when others who have received this letter ring to explain actually they are on the E.R and can provide proof of this, Butlins say "tough" and refuse to reverse their decision.

And I can find many many instances of people with "English" sounding names (Bishop, Cooke, Pitt, Patel) who AREN'T on the electoral roll who have never had any problems with booking at all. It seems to be directed only at those with "blacklisted" surnames, even if they are on the ER.

I imagine I'll have a battle on my hands when I ring Butlins tomorrow - anyone help on how to approach this? I'm fuming tbh. Me and DH have both booked time off work, the kids have been so excited.

But how many people are on the electoral roll that cannot be bought? The one that isn't publically available as easily.
And DV victims who aren't on for their own safety.

Surely tons of people are on the version that's not as easily available and that lowers their customer base massively.

This is disgusting.

I am pretty sure, although not a lawyer, but I think I'm correct in saying that you don't have to actually be in a protected class to be discriminated against, but rather perceived to be in a protected class. So even though you're not a traveller, if you can prove discrimination then you may have some kind of a case here.

I'd be pissed off enough that if I had the energy got a fight I'd consider seeing where I stood with a solicitor.

There's a charity for travellers here: travellermovement.org.uk - I just googled it up, but I wonder if they might have advice? I'm sure they'd want to know about this if they don't already.

What even is a traveller name? Don't think I have a clue. Either way, this has to be discrimination. Maybe try your MP if you get no joy from them tomorrow.

how do I tell her we can't go anymore

I take it from this you've previously stayed at Butlins - would it help when you phoned them to mention this with details of last visit - they can presumably check that your previous stay was problem-free?

(I realise this doesn't address the wider issue but might help in short term).

I’m shocked to read that. To be honest I wouldn’t even bother calling Butlins as you already know what they will say. If it was me I would try to borrow someone’s credit card (parent/friend etc) and rebook the same holiday using their surname.

If you have travellers in your area you'll know about the names. Where I grew up it was Loveridge that you watched out for

They’re lying about using ‘not on electoral roll’ as the reason so I doubt that they’ll care if you actually are on the electoral roll. (Especially as they have declared that it’s the final decision.)

If you still want to go you can mention what you have read online and stress that you’re not an Irish traveller family and just wanted a small family break with your husband and daughter - and already booked time off work, and see if they feel like you’re a customer that they have made the wrong assumptions about.

But having said that I think I’d rather expose them on social media and go elsewhere as they have treated you awfully.

They are only allowed access to the open register anyway - I'm not on that and I imagine most of us tick that little box to say we don't want to be on it.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/faq/voting-and-registration/what-is-the-electoral-register

So they can't definitively state that someone is not on the register. And if they're barring anyone who's not on the open register that's potentially a LOT of lost sales.

Disgraceful racism.

Butlins should be ashamed.

A credit report can state if you're on the electoral roll. Do Butlins credit search, because that's presumably how they'd check. I used to do Data Protection stuff, so I'd want to know about their basis for searching your credit file, and the accuracy of information held (obviously the discrimination is terrible, but this is a concrete basis to start that the shouldn't ignore).

www.gov.uk/equality-advisory-support-service

Call these people first?

Is there an outed list of these names somewhere?

Meant to add- from here, everything should be in writing.

I have no idea what a traveller surname is?
misses point of thread

Articles I'm reading are throwing up O'Leary and Doran

Don’t telephone
Email as then it’s in writing and nothing can be denied

So Irish names.

I'd put money on the fact they never actually even checked the ER. Firstly because I'm on it, as are plenty of other Irish sounding families who have had their booking cancelled, and secondly because I know of English sounding families who aren't on it, who haven't had their bookings cancelled.

They just use it as an excuse, cancel the booking, refund in full and refuse to discuss it, then bank on the fact that those of us with Irish names are too uneducated to fight it.

We have had two other bookings this year booked directly through Butlins without a hitch. This time we saved some money by booking a cheap break through Sun Holidays. So I imagine that the check those who book the cheap breaks for dodgy names, and send out cancellation letters. We are meant to go in 11 days. Kids will be gutted.

Not just Irish names
www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/banned-from-butlins-for-not-47868/

that is crazy, they sent a letter to your home, which you will respond to so that is evidence that you live there otherwise how would you know how to contact them! i would make sure you state when and where you went before, without any trouble. what would happen if you refuse the refund? i think you need to check the cancellation clause and see if they can do this. crazy!

That's outrageous. I'm also really disappointed that so many people think that the OP needs a work around for this rather than being pissed off at the overt racism.

This is appalling. If you can bare it OP fight fight fight.

I had this crap once about 'not being on the electoral roll' from a bank. I was.

I complained to the Information Commissioner and asked for an assessment (their technical term) and the IC found in my favour and the bank had to basically shell out for the fair bit for the shit it had caused me.

I hadn't even thought about the surname - but yes, mine is of Irish origin.

Anyway, Butlins are acting illegally.

That's awful! One side of my family is Romany gypsy (although my great grandparents were last that actively travelled that I know of). You couldn't tell from my surname because my dad took his step fathers name. Is this Roma who are being discriminated against as well as Irish travellers?

Some Romanichal surnames for those who were wondering - Lee, Boswell, Cooper, Young, Heron, Loveridge, Buckland, Stanley, Brinkley, Scarrott, also a lot of Williams and Smiths but obviously not all.