Camber holiday park Pontins to be probed by Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the probe was being carried out due to concerns about discrimination against Gypsies and Travellers.

Pontins’ owner, Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited, last year entered into a 12-month legal agreement with the commission, following allegations the company operated a discriminatory booking policy.

Alleged practices included publishing an ‘undesirable’ guest list containing common Irish surnames and refusing or cancelling bookings by people suspected of being Gypsies or Travellers.

The EHRC said declining to provide services to guests because they are of a certain race or ethnic group is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010, which recognises Gypsies and Travellers as a distinct racial group.

After monitoring Pontins’ compliance, the EHRC said it decided to end the agreement on February 18 on the basis the company had not satisfied the EHRC that it was taking the required steps to prevent unlawful race discrimination or meet its commitments under the agreement.

The EHRC said it has now launched a formal investigation that will consider whether Pontins has committed unlawful acts under the Equality Act 2010.

Investigators will look at whether Pontins has committed race discrimination against Gypsy and Traveller guests, prospective guests or their associates in how it provides its services, whether booking policies directly or indirectly discriminate on the basis of race, including a requirement that guests, or prospective guests, are on the electoral register, and whether Pontins’ intelligence, information and record-keeping systems are operating in a way that discriminates directly or indirectly on the basis of race.

Marcial Boo, CEO of the EHRC, said: “We are concerned Pontins may have illegally denied Gypsy and Traveller families the simple pleasure of a holiday. Any business that refuses to provide services to guests due to their race or ethnic group is likely to be breaking equality law.

“We signed a legally-binding agreement with Pontins last year. We expected that to address our concerns about discriminatory behaviour. The company’s failure to comply has left us with no choice but to use stronger enforcement powers to investigate further.

Pontins has been approached for comment.

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