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. *
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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.

This is ridiculous! It's clearly illegal and although I can understand that they want to avoid a repeat of the incidents from before there's surely there's a better way to go about it?

I also have a traveller surname and a large family. We've been turned down for family bookings of holiday lets and restaurants the odd time because the owner can't be sure we aren't travellers. We're Irish so maybe places like Butlins would assume we are travellers too.

I would do what others have said OP and expose them.

Ivykaty I'm not on the electoral roll with permission from the council because I can't provide enough recent info for the anonymous registration. Therefore they have told me they won't force me to register or fine me.

The illegal part comes in (according to the head of the electoral Office here) if they sent an officer to my house as I hadn't filled in the form and I refused then to give the info.

I would seriously look into getting the information commissioner to do the work for you fir Free

I was out at work today so my cleaner signed for it - that's how MC I am

Well tell them that. No self respecting traveller woman would have someone else clean her house.

It's a potential hate crime so criminal.

Which resort? Because there really was a horrendous event at our local one. It terrified both the staff and local residents and they are quite rightly cautious in the aftermath of that.

Live it before you judge it!

Id raise merry hell over this! What a shower of cunts butlins are

It's quite funny how everyone here is fuming. Remember a few years back that bakery refused to bake a cake for a gay couple getting married and cancelled their order, everyone here was like "it's the owners choice who to give business to"..

this is horrendous! It doesn't matter what's happened there in the past. Imagine the things that have happened in England in the last year, and banning entire races/ cultures from places like the MEN or Westminster etc.

There would be rightful outrage. It would be utterly disgusting, and all over the news. Why is this not?

This is insane

bit diffrnt walnut

this company is assuming somone is a certain race and using some crap excuse to cover it up

Surely pointing out that you have stayed with them twice recently without issue, and they had no problem with your booking, means that they know you are on the electoral roll, so it is their mistake.

I'd be filing a nice data protection request for everyone in your party.

MammaTJ our local shop has been robbed at gunpoint several times by a gang from Salford. We don't ban people from Salford!

Which resort? Because there really was a horrendous event at our local one. It terrified both the staff and local residents and they are quite rightly cautious in the aftermath of that.

Live it before you judge it!

An horrendous event involving who? OP?

This is disgraceful! I have no words. They can't be allowed to get away with this surely.

*Which resort? Because there really was a horrendous event at our local one. It terrified both the staff and local residents and they are quite rightly cautious in the aftermath of that.

Live it before you judge it!*

This has nothing to do with op and her family though does it? They haven't done anything wrong.

everyone here was like "it's the owners choice who to give business to"

You are mistaken. “Everyone” certainly was not “like” that. Perhaps you have misremembered it.

They haven't done anything wrong

Neither have all travellers...

I agree

Bloody hell, this is shocking. How can they ban travellers based on one incident, imagine if they banned anyone with a black sounding surname because of one incident, they would be in serious trouble. Discrimination against travellers is still somehow seen as acceptable by so many and it makes me furious. I live near to a Butlins and many of us locals often go as day guests but I feel like starting a very public boycott campaign over this.

I'm stunned by this and although I can see why it may be issue for butlins I can't believe it's legals and you have been before and no trouble?!

Can you find somewhere else to go? Efteling in holland is easy to get too and magical or Disney Paris although that would be hugely busy and expensive...

An horrendous event involving who? OP?, no dear! Travelers. Surely you can understand it makes people cautious! If it weeds out the wrong people, then that is not great, but from my point of view and from the point of view of the people who suffered threats of violence and actual violence, then that is not so bad as letting the wrong people in!

Have you got legal insurance on your home insurance?

If you have, might be worth talking to them as you can just ring up and talk - much cheaper than going to a local solicitor. And they might write you a letter.

But if you do find yourself looking for a new holiday - Centre Parcs in Europe are significantly cheaper than the ones in the UK and (to my mind!) much better. If you did a midweek 4 night break on 11 December, you, your dh and a 3 yr old could pay from 149 Euros for all of you in a 4 camp or from 239 Euros in a 5 camp in the handful of CP closest to Calais.

Obviously you'd also need a ferry or train over but it's not peak time so shouldn't be too expensive.

Don't know if this has been pointed out yet because I haven't read all messages but if you register for the free 30 day trial on equifax and request a copy of your credit report there is a section for electoral role and it will show you're on it and how long for at each address. Take a screenshot and send on maybe?
I'm actually having a similar problem with the ER at the moment. Bought a house in May registered for CT and voted in the general election but ER doesn't appear on my credit file. Council confirm they added me to it and husbands is updated just not mine. Hope you can get it sorted in time x