Pontins, once a favourite holiday hotspot, has come under fire for a list of ‘blacklisted’ names that flagrantly and repeatedly discriminated against travellers. A report revealed that call centre workers were told to listen for Irish accents and those with ‘traveller-sounding’ names and stop them from booking holidays.
It followed after a whistle-blower bravely shared news of the horrific practice back in 2020. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) enacted an action plan with Pontins but in 2022 they ended the agreement after Pontins had failed to stick to the plan and committed “flagrant breaches of the Equality Act”. Another rule required guests to be on the voting register, which travellers are less likely to be.
The EHRC said: “We were worried that they were still treating gypsies and travellers in an unfair way.” An investigation foundthat Pontins had broken the law “lots of times” and made a list of last names that could affect over one million people in the UK and Ireland.
Names on the so-called blacklist included Murphy, O’Brien and Ward, as well as Sheridan and O’Donoghue.
Pontins was caught discriminating against Irish Travellers by using a secret blacklist with names like McGuinness, Gallagher and Murphy. Baroness Kishwer Falkner, the boss of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “Our investigation into Pontins uncovered flagrant breaches of the Equality Act 2010. Their business practices demonstrated shocking overt racial 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.”
In response to the news, Chris McDonagh, Campaigns Officer at Friends, Families and Travellers, said: “It is deeply saddening that Irish Traveller people have become so used to hate and prejudice that the Pontins ‘blacklist’ did not come as a surprise.
“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.”
A spokesperson for Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, which owns Pontins, said: “We are in the process of reviewing the unlawful act notice and investigation report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The specific incidents reported by the EHRC are historic issues predating 2018.
“The call centre where the incidents took place has 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.”
