Rhiannon Ingle
A list of 40 surnames has been revealed to have been blacklisted by British holiday parks company Pontins, following an investigation over the discrimination of guests.
The list emerged as the company was found to have engaged in 'shocking overt race discrimination', which instructed staff to decline or cancel bookings made by people suspected of being Irish Travellers.
According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), staff were told to refer to the list of banned surnames.
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The report found call centre staff were warned to listen out for Irish accents and told to stop certain people from booking up holidays in their parks.
Another rule required guests to be on the voting register in order to book - which travellers are less likely to be.
It followed after a whistle-blower exposed the shocking practice back in 2020.
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After the news broke, the EHRC enacted an action plan with Pontins in 2022, but subsequently ended the agreement after the company committed 'flagrant breaches of the Equality Act'.
"We were worried that they were still treating gypsies and travellers in an unfair way," the EHRC said.
The investigation showed Pontins to have broken the law 'lots of times', and even drew up a blacklist of surnames, which could affect over one million people across the UK and Ireland.
"It is deeply saddening that Irish Traveller people have become so used to hate and prejudice that the Pontins 'blacklist' did not come as a surprise," Chris McDonagh, Campaigns Officer at Friends, Families and Travellers, said.
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He continued: "Whilst we are certain that Pontins are not the only ones operating such discriminatory policies, we welcome the EHRC's investigation and commend the whistleblower's principled stance.
"Everyone deserves to live free from hate and prejudice."
A spokesperson for Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, which owns Pontins, said: "We are in the process of reviewing the unlawful act notice and investigation report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
"The specific incidents reported by the EHRC are historic issues predating 2018.
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"The call centre where the incidents took place has closed and the majority of the staff involved have now left Pontins. We apologise to all who may have been affected. Pontins is committed to ensuring ongoing compliance with the Equality Act 2010."
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, added: "Our investigation into Pontins uncovered flagrant breaches of the Equality Act 2010.
"Their business practices demonstrated shocking overt racial discrimination towards Irish Travellers and there was a culture of denial. We remain deeply concerned about these discriminatory practices."
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Falkner added: "They were instigated and supported by senior managers and their leadership failed to take any action or accept corporate responsibility.
"Such unlawful and discriminatory behaviour is completely unacceptable, and it must never be tolerated."
The full set of names include: Boylan, Boyle, Carney, Carr, Cash, Connors, Corcoran, Delaney, Doherty, Dorran, Gallagher, Horan, Keefe, Kell, Leahy, Lee, MacLaughlin, McAlwick, McCully, McDonagh, McGinley, McGinn, McGuiness, McHarg, McLaughan, McMahon, Millighan, Mongans, Murphy, Nolan, O’Brien, O’Connell, O’Donnell, O’Donoghue, O’Mahoney, O’Reilly, Sheriadan, Stokes, Walch and Ward.
Tyla has reached out to Pontins for comment.