Pontins under investigation over alleged discrimination against Traveller families

Britain's equality watchdog has launched a formal investigation into Pontins holiday parks due to concerns about continued discrimination against Gypsy and Traveller families.

Pontins owner Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited, a subsidiary of Britannia Hotels, last year entered a 12-month legal agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) following allegations that the company operated a discriminatory booking policy.

Alleged practices included using an ‘undesirable' guest list of common Irish surnames as part of a policy of refusing or cancelling bookings by Gypsy and Traveller families to its parks.

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.

The EHRC said it decided to end the agreement with Pontins on 18 February this year as it had not taken "the required steps to prevent unlawful race discrimination".

It has now launched a formal investigation into whether Pontins committed unlawful acts under the Equality Act 2010.

This will consider whether Pontins committed race discrimination in the way it runs its parks or bookings system, including its requirement for guests to be on the electoral register.

Marcial Boo, chief executive of the EHRC, said: "We are concerned that 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, which we expected 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.

"The EHRC will continue to use all legal powers at its disposal to ensure that no one experiences racism, whether at a holiday park or elsewhere, simply because of their name, ethnicity or the community they belong to."

The investigation began on 26 May and is expected to last months.

Pontins was founded in 1946 and runs six holiday parks in England and Wales. It has been owned by Britannia Hotels since 2011.

Pontins has been approached for comment.