Woman ‘disgusted’ when she tries to buy hotel rooms for homeless people at Christmas but is REFUSED
Britannia Hotel chain booking line turned down her kind gesture because of 'past experiences'
A GOOD Samaritan who tried to buy hotel rooms for homeless people at Christmas was "disgusted and shocked" when her booking was refused.
Britannia Hotels told Jessica Peters the chain would not accept her kind gesture because of "past experiences".
Jessica, 24, said she walks past rough sleepers every morning outside Marks and Spencer in Nottingham city centre.
Seeing that the nearby Britannia hotel accepts dogs, she tried to book a number of rooms on Christmas Eve for homeless people and their pets.
Jessica, who works in a call centre, : "I called to see if they would take dogs, and they said yes for an extra £10.
"I thought great, so I asked could I pay for a few rooms on Christmas Eve for homeless people to stay.
"His tone of voice on the phone just changed and he said speaking from experience they would be refused in the reception - and no one wanted to tell me exactly why they would be refused.
"Even though it would be my card on file and my money they weren't interested.
"I was really shocked. They just have no heart whatsoever. I'm not asking them to donate the rooms, I was happy to pay for them myself.
"It was only around £50 a room. I'm so disgusted.
"Most homeless people would be so grateful for a night off the streets, especially during Christmas."
Hotel manager Caroline Buttery said: "Our call centre has had to decline bookings before due to incidents last year when bookings came in of this nature.
"The decision was made some time ago not to take bookings of this type again.
"We also can use our discretion, just as all other hotels can, and if we feel there are any potential concerns we can point people to other hotels that may be better suited for them."
Michael Leng of homeless charity Framework said it will block book hotel beds in the city to take people off the streets.
He said: "This was a lovely gesture and we welcome the generosity behind it, but there is already a good support network in place for street homeless people in Nottingham this winter."
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Earlier this month we revealed the owner of Britannia Hotels lives in a ten-bed mansion after amassing a £240million fortune.
Meanwhile his customers reportedly stay in "s***holes" including the Birmingham branch, branded the "worst hotel in the UK" and where a horrified guest filmed mice running in the lobby.
In September, heartbreaking photos taken by homeless people revealed makeshift beds in doorways and men begging for coppers in Colchester.
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