Elderly couple from Keynsham 'felt like prisoners' in quarantine hotel
Watch Victoria Davies' report
An elderly couple from Keynsham say they felt like prisoners while staying in a quarantine hotel.
Ruth and Norman Conway stayed for ten days at the Radisson Blue Edwardian Hotel at Heathrow and say they were not even allowed to open a window without security.
84-year-old Ruth said: “It was a bit like a prison as you could not move anywhere without having a security man or woman escorting you.
“It was the fact you were confined to your room and if you wanted to get a breath of fresh air - even in your room - you had to ring security and they gave you a key to open the window. They wouldn’t leave you a key so you could open the window at will.”
Ruth’s husband 71-year-old Norman said: “It was bad. It was literally like being in a prison. You weren’t free. They took away your freedom and that was not good.”
The couple had gone to their holiday home in Portugal to welcome the arrival of their niece's baby.
But four flights back were cancelled. By the time they landed, the Government had brought in quarantine hotels as a way of trying to prevent variants of Covid-19 entering the country.
It cost the couple two and a half thousand pounds to stay at the four star hotel.
They say their food was served in cardboard boxes with disposable cutlery and if they wanted to leave their room for exercise they were escorted by security to a carpark.
Ruth said: “I cannot believe we had to pay for the privilege of being imprisoned. I mean, you don't ask a prisoner to pay for their own board and lodging do you.”
Norman added: “We are only pensioners so you dig into your savings but it is an extra cost you are not counting on.”
In a statement the hotel said: “At Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow, we take our role in assisting the UK government with its hotel quarantine programme very seriously - to help provide a safe and comfortable experience for travellers.
“We work with the Department for Health and Social Care to provide this service based on the costs set by the government. This fee includes providing three meals, per day, with guests able to request crockery should they wish.
“Escorting guests is required under the protocols set by DHSC.”
The Government says it recognises the impact restrictions have on people and is grateful for people following the rules to protect others.
A spokesperson from the department of health and social care has given us this response to the Conway's story, they said:
"Wellbeing support is in place at all government managed quarantine facilities, which includes daily welfare checks. Anyone who has concerns about being in a quarantine hotel on health or wellbeing grounds can seek an assessment by a medical professional after check-in."
But Ruth and Norman say they’re relieved to be back home in Keynsham and never want to stay in a quarantine hotel again.
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