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No room at the inn for injured soldier

Thu Sep 04 02:38PM

A British soldier on leave after being injured in Afghanistan has been refused a room in a Surrey hotel just because he is in the army.

The BBC has reported that Corporal Tomos Stringer, 23, from Gwynedd in Wales, was visiting an injured friend near Woking when he was turned away from the Metro Hotel.

Corporal Stringer, of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, was asked to provide a form of identification to book the room and when he presented his military pass he was told that it was management policy not to accept Armed Forces as guests.

Stringer, who injured his wrist falling out of a truck while coming under fire in Afghanistan, was forced to spend the night in his car.

He has now returned to Afghanistan but his mother, Gaynor Stringer, was so upset over the way he was treated by the hotel she wrote to MP Hywel Williams.

Mrs Stringer has also voiced her disappointment over how soldiers are treated in Britain compared to in the United States.

"We've been to America and their military get treated like heroes over there. I think it's terrible they [UK Armed Forces] can't even wear their uniform with pride."

Police were called to the hotel Thursday after the hotel's management claimed it had been receiving threatening and abusive phone calls.

A spokesman for Surrey police said: "Officers were called to the scene because of claims of abusive, offensive and threatening phone calls towards the Metro Hotel. We will monitor the calls to see if an offence has occured, if it has then we can trace the calls and further action will be taken."

The Metro Hotel, which is owned by American Amusements Ltd, has issued an apologetic statement saying the incident "was a mistake".

Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth has written to the Metro Hotel management demanding a more detailed explanation.

Comments1341 - 1350 of 1350

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Where are all the human rights people now, when it is one of our own working honest citizens, the hotel should be closed and punished for being able to refuse custom to a member of our armed forces

From redkev219 on Sun Sep 07 02:31PM
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ok... im a pacifist but these guys are really brave to be risking their lives for something they believe in an d i think that everyone should respect us. people shouldnt judge other people so harshly, its discusting that a guy could be treated like that... and he was INJURED! it makes me feel sick that this is how we have started to treat people.

From stapleton.evans on Mon Sep 08 03:06PM
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THE HOTEL SHOULD BE MADE TO SAY SORRY. THESE LADS ARE MODERN DAY HEROES .
GOD BLESS THEM ALL
JACK FROM WORCESTER

From broomfield87 on Mon Sep 08 10:20PM
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An absolute disgrace, this hotel should be named and shamed across the media. What a way to treat a hero.

From raymond.salt on Tue Sep 09 10:14AM
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Disgusting. I have decided to boycott the Metro hotel in future as a result of this outrage.

From zippydedoodahh on Tue Sep 09 11:13PM
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Should the Hotel continue in business, the soldier should have FREE accomodation for life, indeed in the US their soldiers are given special rates, in ALL that type of place.

From graham.hought on Mon Sep 22 04:13PM
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Soldiers are poor little silly morons who had no choice but to go and fight for their country, because their parents thought this was the right thing to do.
Brave ,very brave as they are, they should be informed in the first case what they are fighting for and secondly do they beleive in it.
If I feel like I need to fight I will! if I dont I wont, and I certainly wouldnt do It for a cause like Iraq or Afganistan.
Stop sending your children into stinking capitalist war parades, teach them something else. Perhaps we should bring back conscription, that would, at least take the guilt away from those grieving parents,brothers and sisters etc

From brendoink on Fri Oct 10 09:52PM
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Whoever the person was that refused Corporal Stringer a room at the hotel, should be forced to find a safe place to sleep in....oooh let's see, Helmand Province Afghanistan, in a carpark, with no car! But then our lads would probably save his sorry ar$e, 'cos that's what they do, protect us. This "person" should reflect on this...."we sleep safe and sound in our beds because good men are prepared to do violence and make the ultimate sacrifice so that we have that luxury" Corporal Stringer...we live near Heathrow, if you and your mates are ever stuck, my wife and I would consider it an honour if you'd stay at our place. Just make contact through this site. And that goes for any Gurkha too!

From laszloclements on Wed Nov 05 02:19PM
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while i support the soliders, i do think this was a out of line. Soliders put their lives on the line and the least we could do is support them when they come home. I find that over in the UK, there doesnt seem to be a lot of outward support for the troops, while in the USA and Canada there are all kinds of support for the soliders home and abroad. We need to support the troops whenever they are servicing and welcome them all home with support and kindness.

From georgiausa73 on Mon Jan 19 02:54PM
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John J Rambo. Encountered the same problem in First Blood.
Yes, it really is some world we live in.

From johnadams48 on Mon Apr 13 10:06PM
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