Sir, - I have just had a two-week holiday in Ireland. During my stay I found a dramatic increase in discrimination against single people. This manifested itself most acutely in the B and B business, especially in the Midlands and in the West. Here are three examples of what I consider to be grossly partisan treatment of a person travelling on their own. All three establishments are registered with either the Irish Tourist Board or Family Homes in Ireland.
One lady in Naas claimed that a single person cost her as much as two people. I did point out that I slept in only one of her twin beds and used only one set of her towels. She charged me £23 for the night. The twin-room was not ensuite. In my opinion greed was accompanied with discrimination, and the charge was excessive.
In Westport another lady claimed that she was fully booked. She recommended that her neighbour kept single people. Not only was this true, but this B and B turned out to be the best accommodation during my entire stay in the Republic. Next morning I discovered that the original lady had no guests at all. Is it possible that some people in the B and B business are willing to have no guests rather than have a single person?
The third lady lives in a beautiful part of Co Clare. When I presented my request she immediately said that she had three rooms, but a night's accommodation would cost me £32. When I suggested that she was discriminating against single people she made three phone calls and found a friend willing to accommodate a single person. I paid her for the phone calls and she claimed that I was the first person ever to offer money.
I wonder if discrimination against single people is widespread. If so, I would suggest that this is a sad and retrograde trend in a business which has received the highest accolades over the past 20 years. I understand from regional tourist authorities that the B and B business has had a very poor season. I wonder why? - Yours, etc., Tom Grufferty,
Havant,
Hampshire,
England.