Travelodge has apologised to a Jewish guest after a message saying "Free Palestine" appeared on his hotel room television at the London Manor House Travelodge in north London earlier this month. The guest, identified as 24-year-old Sruly Fogel from New York, told Jewish News that he felt "frightened" and "really, really uncomfortable" upon seeing the message.
Mr Fogel, described as "visibly Orthodox Jewish", was visiting the UK for a wedding. He said that the message appeared on the TV screen in his room, reading "Hi, welcome, Free Palestine". The five-member group had booked two rooms, both of which displayed the message.
Mr Fogel also alleged that a member of staff appeared hostile towards him during check-in, but Travelodge stated that its investigation found no evidence of misconduct. A video of the incident was shared online by the Jewish community watch group Shomrim, which described the behaviour as bearing "all the hallmarks of targeted antisemitism".
London Manor House Travelodge is located just a mile from Stamford Hill, the largest strictly Orthodox Jewish community in Europe. Travelodge launched an investigation into the incident and reported it to the Metropolitan Police, but has not yet determined who was responsible for the message. The investigation included analysis of CCTV and key card access, as well as interviews with staff members.
Travelodge Response
A Travelodge spokesperson said: "We have treated this incident very seriously from the outset as there is no place for antisemitism in this country and we took action immediately to address this. Our CEO has spoken with the guest to express our apologies for their experience. We have also been engaging closely with leaders and groups within the Jewish community to reiterate our absolute zero-tolerance stance on antisemitism and any form of discrimination and our commitment to ensuring that the Jewish community feels safe and welcome at all of our hotels."
CEO Jo Boydell apologised "unreservedly" to the guest and "further apologises for any distress or concern caused to the wider Jewish community". Travelodge confirmed that they are currently in discussions with a leading organisation in the Jewish community to facilitate a training programme on cultural sensitivity and antisemitism in response to the incident.
The Metropolitan Police stated that its investigation is now closed, subject to any further information coming to light.
