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A vacation camp operator routinely racially discriminated against Irish Travellers by drawing up a list of “undesirable” names, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has discovered.
Pontins’ workers had been pressured to refuse or cancel bookings from holidaymakers whose identify, accent or tackle indicated they had been half of the Irish Traveller neighborhood, based on a brand new EHRC report.
The firm “deliberately, openly and repeatedly broke the law” by breaching the Equality Act 2010 in its discrimination against this ethnic group, stated EHRC chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner.
The vacation park operator has now apologised after it was served a authorized discover for partaking in what the human rights watchdog described as “shocking overt race discrimination” in direction of Irish Travellers.
Have you been affected by this? Email tara.cobham@impartial.co.uk
The investigation got here after a whistleblower in March 2020 disclosed that Pontins had an “Undesirable Guest List” with 40 names of Irish origin that workers needed to comply with, with some of this discrimination particularly concentrating on Irish Travellers, whereas different discriminatory insurance policies had been geared toward Gypsies and Travellers extra broadly.
Pontins, owned by Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, additionally launched a coverage in 2018, which required friends to be on the electoral roll, a follow that was discovered to be discriminatory against Gypsies and Travellers, as folks from these communities are far much less prone to be registered to vote.
The EHRC has now ordered the agency to difficulty a public apology to the Gypsy and Traveller communities and introduce equality coaching, with a deadline for an motion plan given as 9 April – in any other case Pontins may face prison prices.
Commenting on the investigation, Baroness Falkner stated: “The discrimination faced by Irish Travellers, and other members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, has no place in 21st-century Britain. The impact of the discrimination faced by those who were refused bookings at Pontins cannot be overstated. People told us that the experience was ‘painful’ and made them feel ‘dehumanised’.
“As the equality regulator for Great Britain, it is our mission to ensure people are treated equally and fairly. Our investigation, with the help of a brave whistleblower, has shown that Pontins comprehensively failed to treat its customers equally and fairly. At the Equality and Human Rights Commission, we will always challenge such discrimination.
“Pontins broke the law. Pontins must now put right their wrongs. We will continue to hold them, and others who think they are above the law, to account.”
The fee stated it was “deeply concerned” in regards to the practices uncovered, however the charity Friends, Families and Travellers stated whereas the findings had been “deeply saddening”, they didn’t come as a shock.
Chris McDonagh, campaigns officer on the charity, stated they’re “certain” Pontins usually are not the one suppliers working such discriminatory insurance policies.
A spokesperson for Pontins stated: “We are in the process of reviewing the unlawful act notice and investigation report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The specific incidents reported by the EHRC are historic issues, pre-dating 2018.
“The call centre where the incidents took place has now closed and the majority of the staff involved have now left Pontins. We apologise to all who may have been affected. Pontins is committed to ensuring ongoing compliance with the Equality Act 2010.”
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