Pontins discriminated against Irish Travellers - watchdog

Pontins has until April to produce a plan about how to address the EHRC's concerns

Holiday park operator Pontins has apologised after being issued a legal notice for "shocking" discrimination towards Irish Travellers.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found Pontins had created a list of common Irish surnames labelled as "undesirable guests".

It said staff were told to decline or cancel bookings made under those names or by people with Irish accents.

Pontins said the call centre where the incidents took place had now closed.

Some of the names that appeared on the list of undesirable guests - an image of which the EHRC included in its report - were Boyle, Keefe, Gallagher, O'Donnell, McGuiness, Murphy, and O'Reilly.

As well as this list, the EHRC found there was a "banned list" containing the names of people thought to be Irish Travellers, as well as their associates.

The EHRC said Pontins also brought in rules requiring guests to appear on the electoral register, which the commission said was discriminatory against Gypsies and Travellers, as they were less likely to be on the register.

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It issued the tour operator with an "unlawful act notice" - meaning Pontins now has until 9 April to produce an action plan about how it will address its concerns. The company could face criminal penalties if it fails to comply.

Pontins - owned by Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited - said it was reviewing the EHRC's judgements.

"The specific incidents reported by the EHRC are historic issues, pre-dating 2018," a spokesperson said.

"The call centre where the incidents took place has now closed and the majority of the staff involved have now left Pontins", they added.

"We apologise to all who may have been affected. Pontins is committed to ensuring ongoing compliance with the Equality Act 2010."

The commission said Pontins must take steps to prevent future discrimination that include engaging with the Gypsy and Traveller community, monitoring booking cancellations and failures and reviewing its policies and procedures.

It began looking into the allegations of discrimination in 2020 after a whistle-blower came forward about the "undesirable guests" list.

A formal investigating was launched in 2022 after the EHRC said it was "not satisfied that Pontins was taking the required steps to prevent unlawful discrimination from occurring".

'Overt race discrimination'

It said it looked at information over 12 years to reach its judgement.

EHRC chairwoman, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, said in Thursday's ruling that Pontins' business practices "demonstrated shocking overt race discrimination towards Irish Travellers and there was a culture of denial".

"We remain deeply concerned about these discriminatory practices. They were instigated and supported by senior managers and their leadership failed to take any action or accept corporate responsibility.

"Such unlawful and discriminatory behaviour is completely unacceptable, and it must never be tolerated."

Travellers have 'become so used to hate and prejudice'

Chris McDonagh, a representative of Friends, Families and Travellers - a charity that works to end discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people - said the Pontins blacklist "did not come as a surprise".

"It is deeply saddening that Irish Traveller people have become so used to hate and prejudice," said Mr McDonagh.

"Whilst we are certain that Pontins are not the only ones operating such discriminatory policies, we welcome the EHRC's investigation and commend the whistleblower's principled stance.

"Everyone deserves to live free from hate and prejudice."