A woman faced eviction from a Manchester hotel for not paying a £1.20 tourist tax in cash
Manchester: So, there’s this woman named Margaret Jones, right? She’s 63 and just wanted to enjoy a night at the Britannia Hotel. But when she got there, things took a weird turn.
Margaret arrived at the hotel around 9 PM, and guess what? They told her she had to pay a £1.20 tourist tax on top of her booking. Now, here’s the kicker: she usually pays in cash because she struggles with remembering her card PINs. It can really stress her out.
She asked if she could pay the tax in cash, but the staff insisted she had to use a card. Even when she offered them £1.50 in cash, they turned her down. Can you believe that?
Margaret explained her situation, saying, “I don’t like using my card. I know where I stand with cash.” But the hotel staff just didn’t seem to care. They told her she’d have to leave if she couldn’t pay with a card.
She tried using her card, but it asked for her PIN, which just made things worse. They actually told her she couldn’t stay there and turned her away into the cold. Imagine being left out there, shaking and crying!
After standing outside for about 15 minutes, a friend tried to help by offering to pay online or over the phone, but the hotel staff refused that too. They said it was too late for online payments. How frustrating!
Finally, Margaret found a card that allowed her to tap and pay without needing a PIN. She managed to get her room for the night, but the whole ordeal left her feeling anxious and embarrassed.
She said, “It’s ludicrous. I thought cash was legal tender.” Margaret mentioned that she had no issues at another Britannia hotel before, but this time was different. She just wants to know why they can’t accept cash, especially for such a small amount.
Margaret also pointed out that if they treat disabled people this way, what about others? It’s really concerning. She felt like the hotel wasn’t prepared to accommodate people with disabilities.
Britannia Hotels and Manchester Accommodation BID have been reached out to for comments on this situation. It’s a real head-scratcher!
