A woman claims she was asked to leave a city centre hotel after failing to settle a £1.20 tourist tax fee, ending up stranded outside at night. Margaret Jones, 63, had travelled to Manchester on Thursday evening (January 2) for a planned overnight stay at the Britannia Hotel in Portland Street.
Coming from her Lincolnshire home, she got to the hotel not long after 9pm. Upon check-in, Margaret, who suffers from mobility issues and memory loss, was informed that there was a mandatory £1.20 'tourist tax' to pay in addition to her booking upon arrival.
Because of her memory impairment, Margaret predominantly uses cash as she frequently forgets her card PINs, which could trigger intense panic attacks. She was ready to cover the City Visitor Charge levy in cash. However, she claimed hotel staff insisted the fee must be charged to a card, reports the Manchester Evening News .
"I don't like using my card, normally I carry cash all the time," said Margaret. "I'm reluctant to use my cards because I don't remember my PIN numbers. I know where I stand with cash, my cards all look the same so I often forget which card I'm using.
" Margaret, having been caught off-guard by the city tax measure introduced by the Manchester Accommodation BID in April 2023, said that while she was not averse to the additional fee, she felt let down by the lack of assistance from hotel employees regarding an alternative payment method. "I gave them £1.50 in cash and they refused it," she claimed.
"They told .
