Travelodge says sorry to dad after police questioning
Travelodge has apologised to a father after staff called police when he checked into a hotel with his 13-year-old daughter.
Dad Craig Darwell and his daughter were questioned by officers due to misplaced fears about the girl’s safety.
Mr Darwell had booked a double room at the Chertsey Travelodge online because there were no other rooms available for him and his daughter, who he was taking to nearby Thorpe Park for a treat.
When staff questioned him at check-in, he wasn’t able to provide any ID to prove the girl was his daughter, only his Facebook profile with photos of her as a baby and on her 13th birthday.
Staff then called Surrey Police, who questioned the girl, which, said Mr Darwell, was distressing for her.
He is now calling on hotels to request ID for children during the online booking process.
A Travelodge spokesperson said: "We take our responsibilities towards protecting children and vulnerable young people extremely seriously. Our colleagues are trained based on current national guidelines from the NSPCC, the police and other agencies and in the past, hotel team actions have led to successful intervention to protect young people.
"Clearly fine judgements have to be made and we deeply regret any distress or inconvenience caused to Mr Darwell on this occasion. We are undertaking a full investigation into the circumstances and will take careful note of any lessons learned in due course, including additional training where appropriate.
"In the meantime, we would like to apologise to Mr Darwell for the situation he encountered and we will be making further contact with him as our investigation continues."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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