Going to Butlins?

The only way American's living in the UK can watch Diversity is if they have access to past season's of Britain's got Talent. 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3361365/Butlin-s-BAN-young-mother-family-holiday-resort-aren-t-electoral-roll.html#comments

This is one of those things....the story is somewhat of interest.....though as is often the case with the DM, there is no real explanation.  You are left with sort of innuendo and a slightly sour, but unfocused cheap feeling.

The comments are, to me, the best part of these things....just that there is this lurking, barely hidden poison in GB; class and bigotry exploding forth with just a slight poke. 

This is one of those things....the story is somewhat of interest.....though as is often the case with the DM, there is no real explanation.  You are left with sort of innuendo and a slightly sour, but unfocused cheap feeling.

The comments are, to me, the best part of these things....just that there is this lurking, barely hidden poison in GB; class and bigotry exploding forth with just a slight poke.

Granted, so I went to the source and it is in their Terms and Conditions.

Granted, so I went to the source and it is in their Terms and Conditions.

Wasn't there, a year or so ago, a situation where a guest of a hotel in Brighton received a bill from the hotel owners for something like £200 for writing a scathing online review?

It was in the terms and conditions.....

I think you can put just about anything you want in there...

Wow, those comments quickly descended to gypsey bashing. 

I've been to butlin's and found it amazing, but in a sad way.  They had tons of gambling machines that took 2p coins, and a kids club held in the same massive pub room where the evening shows were held.  The whole thing was a cunning plan to teach kids that a holiday should involve gambling all day and binge drinking all night.  It was like a chav training school.


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Wow, those comments quickly descended to gypsey bashing. 

I don't know where they picked up the idea that the person was a traveller. I mean there could be many reasons why she is not on the roll...

Granted, so I went to the source and it is in their Terms and Conditions.

What I don't get is why it's in their Terms and Conditions - what difference does it make?

Their website says:

-    All guests that are resident in the UK MUST appear on the Electoral Roll.

-    All other guests MUST provide proof of their residential address with photographic ID, in the form of a passport or driving licence.

We will make checks to ensure that our guests are registered on the electoral roll and where not located we reserve the right to cancel your booking until you are able to confirm this.

Since only UK/Commonwealth/EU citizens are allowed to be to be registered on the electoral roll, they are basically alienating all non-EEA visa holders living in the UK, as well as anyone who elects not to be listed on the open register!

So an American visiting the UK on holiday can stay at Butlins (with proof of US address and ID), but an American citizen living and working in the UK isn't allowed to, even if they have proof of their UK address and ID :S.

Well this is one of those things that says nothing....yet says everything. There's a lot here. It's a good example of why I always suggest anyone new to the UK read the Daily Mail and watch television.

First of all..."Butlins". What the heck is a "Butlins"? To a Brit, just the word "Butlins" holds deep meaning. "Blackpool".....to a non-native it just means a city near Birmingham....but "Blackpool" means something.

"Oven chips"...."Foreign holiday"....recently "Sharm" - a spot in the sun and nice reefs I hear....but a certain type of people go to Sharm. Buffet eaters apparently. People who just sit by the pool all the time (so what?).

But why the comments on travellers? Where did that come from?

And too....I last heard of Butlins several years ago....they were apparently struggling...perhaps with the new economy more people are staying in-country...

Which leads to this peculiar situation I perceive in the UK.....that business, or "the system" seems to seek to constrict supply...they like when things are over-subscribed. It allows them to turn people away. It means early bookings and waiting lists....for Butlins, the Scouts.....houses.

It seems to once again harken back to a day when power was with the mine and land owners...commodities....anyone, but certainly not the consumer. Some Great and Good at the top decides who gets what.

If Butlins is in the position to turn people away with a cavalier smirk.....shouldn't they expand?

"Blackpool".....to a non-native it just means a city near Birmingham...

I sincerely hope not.
Blackpool is not 'near' Birmingham.  It's roughly 125 miles away.

I'm with you son of sailor, I've noticed the same kind of market manipulation and price fixing.  It seems to be much more acceptable here than in the us. 

For example, when the UK based airlines all colluded to add a "fuel supplement " to everyone's ticket, it was accepted with little complaint.  It took the US to call it out as price fixing , charge the executives and even demand extradition. 

Contrast this with the fact that major grocery stores colluded for years to keep the price of milk artificially low.  Nobody cares, even when diary farmers are going out of business.


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I sincerely hope not.
Blackpool is not 'near' Birmingham.  It's roughly 125 miles away.

In the US, 125 miles is near! That's around 2-2.5 hours if you're on a highway? haha. I used to drive 252 miles (4.5 hours) just to do decent shopping or go to a concert.

What I don't get is why it's in their Terms and Conditions - what difference does it make?

Their website says:
Since only UK/Commonwealth/EU citizens are allowed to be to be registered on the electoral roll, they are basically alienating all non-EEA visa holders living in the UK, as well as anyone who elects not to be listed on the open register!

So an American visiting the UK on holiday can stay at Butlins (with proof of US address and ID), but an American citizen living and working in the UK isn't allowed to, even if they have proof of their UK address and ID :S.

I don't get it. Do they have statistical data that an American living in the UK is more likely to trash a room than an American living in the US? Living in London wouldn't I be easier to take to court if I trashed a room than someone living in like Kansas?

It's got nothing to do with being an American.  It's about being able to exclude people who aren't on the electoral role.  The thought must be that those people would be less stable, less likely to have fixed ties and have a good fixed address so they could be sued for damages. 

I'd also guess that they only enforce it when they are looking for an excuse to cancel a booking for other reasons, like they figure out this is a family of travelers.

It's a mystery to me why a caravan park of all places thinks they are too posh to host a group of travelers.


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I'd also guess that they only enforce it when they are looking for an excuse to cancel a booking for other reasons, like they figure out this is a family of travelers.

I think this is what is happening here.....or something.

If they categorically refuse to serve those not on the roll....it seems we would hear about it more....

They must have some way of rating undesirables....and then use the clause to refuse.