Former Dragon's Den investor and multi-millionaire Duncan Bannatyne has ignited a fierce new row in the ongoing national conversation about transgender women accessing female-only spaces. The 76-year-old businessman made controversial claims about his health clubs' policies and labelled some biological males seeking entry to women's areas as 'perverts and paedophiles'.
Bannatyne's Provocative Claims on Social Media
Bannatyne, founder of a chain of over 60 health clubs and worth an estimated £500 million, posted his views on social media platform X. He stated that he had offered unisex changing facilities specifically for transgender customers in some of his gyms but claimed they were refused. 'It was exclusive to them & they wanted to be inclusive,' he wrote.
In a further incendiary remark, the father-of-five added: 'Many perverts & pedophiles realise that if they say they now present as female they get easy access to women's & children's free spaces. They are not considered true trans people.' His use of the outdated term 'transexual' is also likely to provoke criticism from transgender advocacy groups, who widely consider it offensive and prefer 'transgender'.
The Darlington Tribunal: A Catalyst for Comment
Bannatyne's intervention came in the wake of a significant employment tribunal ruling involving his local hospital in Darlington, County Durham. A panel found that Darlington Memorial Hospital had violated the dignity of eight female nurses who complained about sharing their changing room with a transgender colleague, Rose Henderson, an operating department practitioner.
The tribunal heard that complaints from nurses in the day surgery unit began in August 2023. Twenty-six staff members signed a letter raising concerns about Henderson's use and conduct in the changing area, allegations which Henderson told the tribunal were false. The hospital trust's 'Transitioning in the Workplace' policy had allowed Henderson to use the female facilities since 2019, stating any staff member who objected could change elsewhere.
In a 134-page judgement, the employment tribunal, headed by Judge Seamus Sweeney, ruled the trust had harassed and discriminated against the nurses by making them share with a 'biological male trans woman' and failing to address their complaints seriously, creating a 'hostile environment'. The nurses, supported by the organisation Christian Concern, called the ruling a 'massive vindication and victory for common sense'.
Broader Controversies and Community Reaction
The online discussion following Bannatyne's posts delved into further contentious territory. One reply referenced 'AGP' or autogynephilia, a disputed psychological concept describing a male's arousal by the thought of themselves as female. This idea is strongly rejected by much of the transgender community.
The debate highlights the deep and polarising tensions surrounding policies on single-sex spaces, gender identity, and safeguarding. While the Darlington trust stated its policy followed guidelines of the time, the tribunal's decision marks a notable moment in the clash between transgender inclusion rights and the concerns of some women over privacy and safety.
As of now, Duncan Bannatyne has not provided further public comment beyond his initial social media posts. The case continues to resonate, underscoring the complex challenges facing institutions from the NHS to private businesses in navigating this fiercely debated issue.
