Johnny_Blaze_47
07-08-2005, 11:02 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4662809.stm#sad
Hotels 'cash in' on bomb attacks
Hundreds of commuters spent Thursday night stranded in London and some have accused hoteliers of cashing in on the bomb attacks.
Prices at a number of London's hotels increased by more than double on Thursday night, the BBC has learned.
Lastminute.com said price rises for hotels featured on its site had been set by hotels themselves.
However, some hotels offered blankets and use of showers for free and other businesses donated goods to casualties.
The attacks on the Tube network and a double-decker bus killed at least 50 people and injured more than 700.
'£250 room'
A Trading Standards Institute spokesman said hotel profiteering after a bombing attack was reprehensible.
With the transport networks down and no way of returning home, one businessman from Manchester told the BBC he had paid £250 for an £80 room.
Commuters said they were appalled, and thousands chose to walk for hours to reach home rather than stay the night in a hotel.
A spokesman for the British Hospitality Association, which represents hotels, said he was surprised by the increases.
Grant Hearn, the CEO of hotel chain Travelodge, said the price rises were a "disgrace".
"Travelodge is outraged to hear reports of hoteliers taking advantage of the situation to increase rates and deplores the idea that anyone should have had the insensitivity to take advantage of the tragic circumstances," he said.
"That type of behaviour has gone, and was never acceptable in the first place. It makes us all look bad.
"It's outrageous, and I believe the companies doing this should be named and shamed."
The BBC News website received e-mails from readers who said higher than usual prices were charged by some hotels which belonged to the Thistle Group.
A Thistle Group spokeswoman said: "Thistle Group did not raise their prices as a response to yesterday's tragedy, Thistle maintained their usual strategy offering the best rate available based on the fact all London hotels had been fully booked."
Treatment centres
She said customers who had booked rooms but cancelled or did not show up on Thursday were not charged.
London's hotels were 80% full before the blasts, and on Wednesday the UK tourist industry was celebrating the news of London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
But some US tourists have cancelled bookings for the coming week.
The Hilton Metropole, located near the Edgware Road bomb blast, was used as an emergency treatment centre for casualties.
The Marks & Spencer department store on Edgware Road also allowed rescue staff to use it as a treatment unit, gave food and water to rescue teams and casualties, and also provided blankets and clothing.
A spokeswoman said: ""They just did whatever they had to do. The priority was making sure the casualties were OK. That meant giving them blankets and clothing from the shop floor.
"It's what anybody would do in that situation. We are part of the community."
Hotels 'cash in' on bomb attacks
Hundreds of commuters spent Thursday night stranded in London and some have accused hoteliers of cashing in on the bomb attacks.
Prices at a number of London's hotels increased by more than double on Thursday night, the BBC has learned.
Lastminute.com said price rises for hotels featured on its site had been set by hotels themselves.
However, some hotels offered blankets and use of showers for free and other businesses donated goods to casualties.
The attacks on the Tube network and a double-decker bus killed at least 50 people and injured more than 700.
'£250 room'
A Trading Standards Institute spokesman said hotel profiteering after a bombing attack was reprehensible.
With the transport networks down and no way of returning home, one businessman from Manchester told the BBC he had paid £250 for an £80 room.
Commuters said they were appalled, and thousands chose to walk for hours to reach home rather than stay the night in a hotel.
A spokesman for the British Hospitality Association, which represents hotels, said he was surprised by the increases.
Grant Hearn, the CEO of hotel chain Travelodge, said the price rises were a "disgrace".
"Travelodge is outraged to hear reports of hoteliers taking advantage of the situation to increase rates and deplores the idea that anyone should have had the insensitivity to take advantage of the tragic circumstances," he said.
"That type of behaviour has gone, and was never acceptable in the first place. It makes us all look bad.
"It's outrageous, and I believe the companies doing this should be named and shamed."
The BBC News website received e-mails from readers who said higher than usual prices were charged by some hotels which belonged to the Thistle Group.
A Thistle Group spokeswoman said: "Thistle Group did not raise their prices as a response to yesterday's tragedy, Thistle maintained their usual strategy offering the best rate available based on the fact all London hotels had been fully booked."
Treatment centres
She said customers who had booked rooms but cancelled or did not show up on Thursday were not charged.
London's hotels were 80% full before the blasts, and on Wednesday the UK tourist industry was celebrating the news of London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
But some US tourists have cancelled bookings for the coming week.
The Hilton Metropole, located near the Edgware Road bomb blast, was used as an emergency treatment centre for casualties.
The Marks & Spencer department store on Edgware Road also allowed rescue staff to use it as a treatment unit, gave food and water to rescue teams and casualties, and also provided blankets and clothing.
A spokeswoman said: ""They just did whatever they had to do. The priority was making sure the casualties were OK. That meant giving them blankets and clothing from the shop floor.
"It's what anybody would do in that situation. We are part of the community."