Bridgend restaurant staff told to ban traveller community bookings in 'no gypsy' policy

A Bridgend restaurant has apologised after reportedly telling its staff to cancel any "gypsy bookings".

Staff at El Prado by Martinez were told over Whatsapp there was a "no gypsy" policy and were told to "check your bookings every day and if you spot any Gypsy booking cancel it straight away."

They were also told to cancel any bookings already made by the traveller community.

Bosses at the Mediterranean-style restaurant in Bridgend in south Wales, which has a four-star rating on TripAdvisor, have now apologised and said: "We welcome all bookings from the traveller community."

A message on Facebook added: "We take discrimination very seriously and have a clear zero tolerance policy for all of our team members."We'd like to apologise for any offence that may have been caused, and reassure members of the travelling community that we are dealing with this matter immediately".

The WhatsApp message was handed to Report Racism GRT, an organisation supporting Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities who face discrimination.

They said: "Refusal of service is the highest form of discrimination levelled at the Gypsy, Roma, and traveller communities and this type of rhetoric is not uncommon."However, that said, it is rare that we receive hard evidence of this being a booking policy."Any form of discrimination or racially motivated abuse is unacceptable, and we will challenge it whenever and wherever we see it."

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