English soldier turned away from UK hotel

[CougarHunter]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4674411.ece

A hotel that refused an injured soldier a room, forcing him to spend the night in his car, was backed into issuing a grovelling apology yesterday after receiving a barrage of abusive phone calls.

The Metro Hotel, in Woking, Surrey, called the police as its phone lines were flooded with angry and threatening calls from the public.

The attack on the switchboards came after it emerged that Corporal Tomos Stringer, 24, had been told that it was company policy not to accept members of the Armed Forces.

A soldier since the age of 16 and veteran of multiple tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, Corporal Stringer had travelled to Surrey to help with funeral preparations for a friend killed in action.

The corporal, who was not in uniform, presented his warrant card when asked by the hotel for proof of identity. After being refused a room, he had to bed down in his car, with his wrist, broken during a convoy ambush, encased in plaster.

Corporal Stringer’s MP, Hywel Williams, Derek Twigg, the Defence Minister, and Bob Ainsworth, the Armed Forces Minister, have all written to the hotel. After a resolute silence, the hotel, owned by a company called American Amusements, finally issued a statement: “The Metro Hotel, Woking, sincerely regrets any upset caused towards Corporal Stringer and his family . . . The hotel management has always had an open-door policy to all its visitors and guests, including members of the military and Armed Forces.” The receptionist had made a mistake, it added.

Corporal Stringer, of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, has returned to Afghanistan. His mother, Gaynor Stringer, from Criccieth, North Wales, told The Times: “I’m very, very angry. It’s discrimination. They would never get away with it if it was against someone of ethnic origin.”

She added: “In America, they treat soldiers as heroes. We went to Disney World with Tomos and the whole family was moved to the front of the lines. Everybody was clapping and cheering. Here, soldiers can’t even get a bed for the night.”

I hope they burn that dump to the fucking ground. Cunts.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

Worldwide boycott of that company. Fucking ungrateful cunts.

[lokimanahan]

Worldwide boycott of that company. Fucking ungrateful cunts.

Yep, and it's owned by an American, oddly enough.

[WoodenPlank]

Fuck them. Douchebags. At least we can see that this kind of anti-soldier and anti-war faggotry isnt just on our side of the pond.

[Salem]

American Amusements? That sounds oddly familiar. Do they have a division that fills vending machines here in the states? Im from MA and I remember seeing that truck pull up and thinking, "What so amusing about that shit? If every driver was a midget now THAT would be amusing."

[bethm1b]

We would have put him up in one of our fine VA hospitals right?

[DonTheTrucker]

Just goes to show that libs everywhere hate soldiers.

[jimmyslostchin]

We would have put him up in one of our fine VA hospitals right?

Nice try, but it's not about that. You don't exactly go to the VA hospital to stay overnight to attend your buddy's funeral. No matter what your politics, unless you're one of those "fuck those baby killer" lunatics the hotel was in the wrong and the lady that refused him a room is a cunt. Rightly so, that fucking hotel chain should be calling Cpl. Stringer and his mother every day to see if there's anything they need and to remind them they're quite sorry.

[lokimanahan]

Nice try, but it's not about that. You don't exactly go to the VA hospital to stay overnight to attend your buddy's funeral. No matter what your politics, unless you're one of those "fuck those baby killer" lunatics the hotel was in the wrong and the lady that refused him a room is a cunt. Rightly so, that fucking hotel chain should be calling Cpl. Stringer and his mother every day to see if there's anything they need and to remind them they're quite sorry.

There's no doubt in my mind that the lady that refused him a room was acting on her bosses standing orders. This is not a case of a hotel clerk fucking up, it's a case of a hotel clerk following directives that the owners are now too fucking scared to admit were in place. Look, enlisted British army guys ('squaddies', as we call them) have a bit of a reputation for getting unruly and, when I was living in a university town surrounded by three army bases from 93'-96', we made sure that we steered clear of the squaddie pubs. They had their pubs, we had ours, and there were a few pubs where we all socialized without a problem. I'm pretty sure that this hotel had an informal 'no squaddies' rule. Boycott these fuckers, people.

[WOWmagnet]

“In America, they treat soldiers as heroes. "

Um, no they don't. At least not the injured ones.

[bethm1b]

“In America, they treat soldiers as heroes. "

Um, no they don't. At least not the injured ones.

Exactly. The only one's we treat like heroes are the one's in front of a tv camera

[bethm1b]

Nice try, but it's not about that. You don't exactly go to the VA hospital to stay overnight to attend your buddy's funeral. No matter what your politics, unless you're one of those "fuck those baby killer" lunatics the hotel was in the wrong and the lady that refused him a room is a cunt. Rightly so, that fucking hotel chain should be calling Cpl. Stringer and his mother every day to see if there's anything they need and to remind them they're quite sorry.

What do you mean nice try? Did you read the article? It said he was injured.

[THE FEZ MAN]

There's no doubt in my mind that the lady that refused him a room was acting on her bosses standing orders. This is not a case of a hotel clerk fucking up, it's a case of a hotel clerk following directives that the owners are now too fucking scared to admit were in place. Look, enlisted British army guys ('squaddies', as we call them) have a bit of a reputation for getting unruly and, when I was living in a university town surrounded by three army bases from 93'-96', we made sure that we steered clear of the squaddie pubs. They had their pubs, we had ours, and there were a few pubs where we all socialized without a problem. I'm pretty sure that this hotel had an informal 'no squaddies' rule. Boycott these fuckers, people.



i can see that, in the US especially in the mid west you will see signs in almost every store, bar, restaurant, ect that say's "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" if this hotel had been trashed on several occasions buy "squaddies" you can bet the owners told the help to refuse service to them....

although depolorable, i can understand why they do it.

[lokimanahan]

What do you mean nice try? Did you read the article? It said he was injured.

You wouldn't be admitted to a hospital, military or otherwise, for a broken wrist that had already been fixed and put in a cast.

[Schmed]

This is no different than refusing a stay to a black person, disabled person, etc. It's pure and blatant discrimination.

[CougarHunter]

But.....but.....you're BLICK!

[lokimanahan]

This is no different than refusing a stay to a black person, disabled person, etc. It's pure and blatant discrimination.

Yep. It's right up there with the pubs here that used to have signs on the door saying "No blacks, No Irish, No Dogs".

[THE FEZ MAN]

since when has a dog got drunk and started a fight.... i dont under stand that rule

[jimmyslostchin]

What do you mean nice try? Did you read the article? It said he was injured.

Yes, and treated already. Do you think he was going to a British hotel for medical attention? It just looked like an attempted swipe at the VA(which does great work despite the underfunding) when the article was nothing about that. The fact of the matter is the guy was sent away with a cast on, while home to make funeral arrangements for a friend, and was told "chuck him out, the brute."

Now if that's the policy of the higher bosses as was pointed out, they may have gotten a lot less flack for it and taken some heat off of themselves by simply owning up to that in their original press release by saying we've had trouble with service members in our hotels. Instead they just look like a bunch of silly gooses.

[Hydrosludge]

It sucks but it is a fact of life even in the US. Just off base, on some of our more aggressive training base, GI's get treated like shit because they get a little rowdy every now and then.

Fayetnam used to have three prices downtown, local civilian, air force, and army.

[WoodenPlank]

It sucks but it is a fact of life even in the US. Just off base, on some of our more aggressive training base, GI's get treated like shit because they get a little rowdy every now and then.

Fayetnam used to have three prices downtown, local civilian, air force, and army.

Oh, it still gets kinda rough some times. Hell, there was a fight in my favorite pub a few weeks ago - a place that NEVER has fights. I was shocked that it happened. I think its only gonna get worse once BRAC really gets going and they dump a shitload more soldiers in here.

[gleet]

A hotel that refused an injured soldier a room, forcing him to spend the night in his car,

It's a wonder he didn't push out another Messiah.

[THE FEZ MAN]

It's a wonder he didn't push out another Messiah.


LOL,,,,,, well more likely get drunk and fuck some of the livestock...


oh and what the hell is this lately... drag up every old thread?

[LastDeadMouse]

But.....but.....you're BLICK!

:icon_lol:
http://content8.flixster.com/question/40/05/75/4005758_std.jpg

[LastDeadMouse]

“In America, they treat soldiers as heroes. "

Um, no they don't. At least not the injured ones.

Or the dead ones. We pretty much treat them as heroes as long as we don't need to do anything other than throw a sticker on our car or wear a t-shirt. I'm guilty of this, too, don't get me wrong.

[oandapartycock]

When the first Gulf War was over we had a convention of military guys in the hotel/casino I was working in Vegas. I worked as a waiter and we all agreed to not take tips from the military guys. I did take a Saudi Arabian Riyal (their $ unit) though. Got to hear some great stories too. I know it's not much but it felt good at the time.

[abudabit]

In Asia there are many bars / clubs which refuse to let in soldiers of any nationality. Also many that ban foreigners. It's not caused primarily by racism or anti-military feelings, it's just that letting in certain groups causes trouble or messes up the atmostphere of the establishment.

Not sure what troubles a single soldier would cause though. There might be more to the story than we are hearing. Just because he is a soldier that was turned away doesn't mean he was turned away because he is a soldier. Perhaps he was rude, or a mess.

[Three Hole Puncher]

In Asia there are many bars / clubs which refuse to let in soldiers of any nationality. Also many that ban foreigners. It's not caused primarily by racism or anti-military feelings, it's just that letting in certain groups causes trouble or messes up the atmostphere of the establishment.

I've been barred or booted from many such places... Japan, Singapore, S Korea, etc...

I don't know what fantasy novel you're getting this nonsense from, but if you actually think it WASN'T a matter of anti-American, anti-military sentiment... I must now point and laugh at your niavete. You, sir, are about hopeless.

I got kicked out of a hotel in Bangkok... "No US military! No US military!" meanwhile, the group of fat, lecherous German pedophiles was more than welcome to stay. Actual pedophiles... they have clubs who go on organized pedo tours of Thailand. Wouldn't want to spoil that "atmosphere" now would we?

They wouldn't let me in a club in Yokosuka Japan because I was, as they informed me, a 'bata-kusai'... or "butter stinker" as they called us Americans... because our high-fat diets make us stink like rancid butter... so says the people who stink to high heaven like rotten fish.

In Hong Kong they refused to wait on me in a restaurant because I was 'gweilo'... a "white devil".

You might want to take a trip around the block before you start trying to tell me how the world works.


Not sure what troubles a single soldier would cause though. There might be more to the story than we are hearing. Just because he is a soldier that was turned away doesn't mean he was turned away because he is a soldier. Perhaps he was rude, or a mess.

Or maybe they're just a pack of anti-military dickplugs... no shortage of that type in the world now is there?

[oandapartycock]

Not sure what troubles a single soldier would cause though. There might be more to the story than we are hearing. Just because he is a soldier that was turned away doesn't mean he was turned away because he is a soldier. Perhaps he was rude, or a mess.

The corporal, who was not in uniform, presented his warrant card when asked by the hotel for proof of identity. After being refused a room, he had to bed down in his car, with his wrist, broken during a convoy ambush, encased in plaster.

Sounds like he was in the process of registering the room and showed his military ID (warrant card?) and that's when they refused. I agree that I can't see why one soldier just trying to sleep for the night would cause a problem. Unless he appeared hammered. Then why wouldn't the clerk have called the police for a DUI arrest?

[abudabit]

I got kicked out of a hotel in Bangkok... "No US military! No US military!" meanwhile, the group of fat, lecherous German pedophiles was more than welcome to stay. Actual pedophiles... they have clubs who go on organized pedo tours of Thailand. Wouldn't want to spoil that "atmosphere" now would we?

They wouldn't let me in a club in Yokosuka Japan because I was, as they informed me, a 'bata-kusai'... or "butter stinker" as they called us Americans... because our high-fat diets make us stink like rancid butter... so says the people who stink to high heaven like rotten fish.

In Hong Kong they refused to wait on me in a restaurant because I was 'gweilo'... a "white devil".


What's the one thing in common with all those places? Maybe they have those sentiments for good reason, from experience. For a business to turn away a large swath of customers they must have a very good reason. They're no worse than cab drivers who don't pick up poorly dressed black people.



Or maybe they're just a pack of anti-military dickplugs... no shortage of that type in the world now is there?


Not sure why being anti-military would make one a dick plug... or even what a dick plug is.... but back to the incident at hand we have no reason to assume he was turned away because of his military status. People get turned away from businesses for a variety of reasons, and if they had a valid reason to turn him away he shouldn't get a special pass just because he is injured military.

[Three Hole Puncher]

It's not caused primarily by racism or anti-military feelings,

They're no worse than cab drivers who don't pick up poorly dressed black people.

Exactly... racism. Way to smash your own argument.

Not sure why being anti-military would make one a dick plug... or even what a dick plug is.... but back to the incident at hand we have no reason to assume he was turned away because of his military status. People get turned away from businesses for a variety of reasons, and if they had a valid reason to turn him away he shouldn't get a special pass just because he is injured military.

Funny they didn't mention that reason when THEY APOLOGIZED FOR TURNING AWAY A SOLDIER.

And then there's this...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7598523.stm

Corp Stringer, of 13 Air Assault Regiment RLC, was refused a room at the hotel under its "no military personnel" policy.

He was visiting a wounded colleague in the area in June and was home from Afghanistan on recovery leave after breaking his wrist jumping out of a wagon.

He has since returned to Afghanistan but his mother, Gaynor Stringer, said he was still angry at his treatment.

The hotel receptionist asked to see his identification and when he showed his military ID card, she told him military personnel were not welcome.

He shouldn't get a special pass just because he is injured military.

Um... yes he should.

[abudabit]

There is nothing wrong with racism if it is deserved. Cab drivers are protecting thier lives and thier business. And there is nothing wrong with anti-soldierism if it is deserved. I have never heard any good things about soldiers from asians, the reason is because they only have shitty experiences with them.


Funny they didn't mention that reason when THEY APOLOGIZED FOR TURNING AWAY A SOLDIER.

That was a blanket corporate apology.


Um... yes he should.

Why?

[Three Hole Puncher]

There is nothing wrong with racism if it is deserved. Cab drivers are protecting thier lives and thier business. And there is nothing wrong with anti-soldierism if it is deserved. I have never heard any good things about soldiers from asians, the reason is because they only have shitty experiences with them.

So first it wasn't racism and/or anti-military feelings, but now it is racism and anti-military feelings? And justified racism at that? Are you through? Made up your mind? Are you going to stick to this one now?

That was a blanket corporate apology.

Yep... a groveling admission of wrong-doing... that's what that was alright.

Why?

Pointless to try to explain it to you. Like I said before... you're too inexperienced, uninformed and naive to understand the situation of military service people overseas and the sacrifices they make on your behalf.

Don't worry though... they'll keep doing what they're doing... putting themselves in harm's way to defend your right to be clueless and disrespectful... just like I did in the course of my military service which took me around the world... twice.

Not that you'll appreciate it, but... you're welcome anyway.

[abudabit]

putting themselves in harm's way to defend your right to be clueless and disrespectful...

I have to strongly disagree with you there. Soldiers work for the military and the military works for the government. Government isn't a source of liberty, it is more often a road block. When it comes down to it the solidiers aren't going to protect freedom of speech, aren't going stop the police from arresting someone for owning an "assault weapon", aren't going to stop the IRS from pursuing prosecution, aren't going to intervene and stop the government if it implements censorship.

The suggestion that the military is out there to protect freedom or rights is a silly feel good propaganda mantra and I challenge you to find a case where the military has protected our liberty from the government.



It is citizens, at home, who protect freedom and liberty. Mindful citizens protect liberty with thier voices and their votes and the threat of thier firearms. Not a sailor traveling around the world having sex with prostitutes or getting in fights in karoke bars.


And you might be right, you might be wrong. But you really need to ask yourself why do soldiers manage to annoy so many foreign civilians even during peace time? These feelings weren't developed in a vacuum, they developed from people's experiences with the soldiers. We pay billions of tax payer dollars for these ports to host our military, often times against the will of many of the locals. Nobody likes to see armed foreigners buy thier way into a nation and then shit on local culture and customs.

Of course all this is moot since this situation is about a uk soldier and a uk hotel and we don't even have half the facts.

[silentbob8201]

I think we are missing the big picture, here's some security footage of the incident.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpd-jzVCk4I&feature=related