Homeless Man's Hotel Rejection at -6C Becomes Turning Point
A man who was shockingly turned away from a Holiday Inn hotel during sub-zero temperatures has revealed how the distressing experience ultimately helped transform his life. The incident, which occurred in Manchester city centre, has sparked significant public debate about discrimination against vulnerable individuals.
Pre-Paid Booking Denied Despite Freezing Conditions
Callum Donaghey, 30, was one of two homeless men who had their pre-paid booking rejected at the Holiday Inn Express on Oxford Road, Manchester, despite outside temperatures plummeting to -6C. Their accommodation had been funded through charitable donations, with outreach worker Amanda Thompson using both donated funds and her own money to secure two double rooms with breakfast via Booking.com for approximately £200.
In footage that has since circulated widely, a receptionist can be heard stating: "Guys, I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not going to be able to check you in. Full truth and transparency, I know that you're from the street and the hotel doesn't allow it." The employee added that this was "the company's policy" rather than a personal decision.
Public Outcry and Political Response
The video prompted immediate public outrage and drew condemnation from political figures. Florence Eshalomi, chairwoman of Parliament's housing committee, described the treatment as "inhumane" discrimination, stating: "The way in which vulnerable rough sleepers appear to be discriminated against in footage circulating online is utterly appalling."
She demanded that InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) urgently explain how the incident occurred and what concrete action would be taken to prevent recurrence. The public response to the footage proved instrumental in changing the trajectory of Callum's circumstances.
From Rejection to Rehabilitation
Following the incident, IHG arranged alternative accommodation for Callum before he successfully passed a drugs test and entered a rehabilitation centre, where he currently resides. Reflecting on his experience, Callum explained how being turned away became a catalyst for determination.
"It's still not enough. It's not fair what they did to us," he stated. "They have obviously owned it shouldn't have happened and wasn't company policy, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place."
Callum described feeling particularly vulnerable at the time, dealing with both homelessness and drug addiction. "I was suffering so much at the time, on the streets and with drug addiction, for someone to then make me feel so small," he recalled. "Over a big company like that, I thought, 'what power do I have?'. I didn't want to just accept it but felt like I had to."
Charity Worker's Perspective
Amanda Thompson, who works for Manchester-based outreach group Two Brews, emphasised that "nobody should be judged" based on their circumstances. She noted that while IHG eventually provided assistance, "we had to ask for it. It's too little too late."
Thompson stressed the need for greater understanding about life on the streets and how to appropriately support vulnerable individuals, commenting: "I understand they have now held their hands up to what happened, but people need more understanding of life on the streets and how to help."
Corporate Response and Policy Review
Karin Sheppard, Europe Managing Director for IHG Hotels, acknowledged that "this isolated incident is clearly not in keeping with our expectations and should not have occurred." The Holiday Inn Express Manchester - Oxford Road location has apologised to those affected and is implementing additional staff training measures.
In a formal statement, IHG confirmed they had "swiftly taken a wide range of actions available to us, including ensuring that existing training was reiterated, and hotel colleagues reminded of the utmost importance of making all our guests feel welcomed and cared for."
Callum concluded with a reflection on the incident's dual potential outcomes: "There could've been two outcomes here. I could've just walked off, decided I'd had enough, and spent a night lying on cardboard when it was -6C." Instead, the public attention generated by his experience has provided him with support and motivation to pursue rehabilitation and rebuild his life.
