Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Rebecca Lockwood & Matt Drake

Premier Inn staff drop 'bizarre' letter under doors asking guests to stop smoking cannabis

Staff at a Premier Inn posted a letter through the doors of their guests telling them there was evidence that someone in their corridor was smoking weed and asking them to "immediately stop".

The hotel on Blackpool Beach had a "lingering smell" of marijuana, according to one woman's family.

Claire, 53, and her husband Richard, 56, booked their daughter Lauren, 30, into the hotel for two nights, along with Lauren's partner Danny, 30, and their three-year-old granddaughter Evie.

But their holiday was nearly ruined by the stench of cannabis.

Speaking to LancsLive, Claire said: "We wanted to take the kids away, Evie is three and a half, we were under no illusions of what Blackpool is like, we know it's full of stags and hens, but it's also a family resort as well.

"We figured if we were in our camper away and stayed from the strip, near Pleasure Beach, that's where the Premier Inn is. We thought, it's Premier Inn, it's a lot more expensive than other hotels on the strip and closer to where the stags and hens are. We figured it was a safe bet to put our family in, but I don't think it was in hindsight.

"The first night they were there, Lauren said to us they could smell weed in the corridor, but they never decided that they were going to do anything about it because they thought it was a one-off thing that had been addressed, and it was a lingering smell. Evie was really knackered out and full of sugar, and they just needed to get her down for the night, so they didn't raise it at that point.

The letter was posted under guest's doors (LancsLive)

"We were all out the following day which is when the letter slipped through the door. We're assuming it went to everyone on that floor, or even the whole hotel, it's bizarre.

"It's acknowledgement that there is an issue there, with weed specifically... Why can't they work out which rooms this was happening in?"

The letter, which was also shared with LancsLive, read: "At Premier Inn, we operate a non-smoking policy that's been in place since 2008. As part of this policy, we don't allow smoking inside any of our premises (this includes the use of e-cigarettes), but we commit to provide designated permitted smoking areas at all our hotels.

"Our team have discovered evidence today that suggests a guest on your corridor has been smoking weed in their room. This doesn't comply with our non-smoking policy which we take care to communicate to all our guests via in-room communication, our website, and as part of our standard booking terms & conditions.

"We haven't currently been able to confirm which room has been smoked in, but if you have been smoking in your room, we would ask that you immediately stop. If you're unsure of where the designated permitted smoking area is, please ask a team member at reception and they'll be happy to help.

"If you haven't smoked in your room, we are very sorry for any upset caused by this letter, but we do hope that you can appreciate the reasons for our action. If you'd like any more information or if we can help with anything, please contact a member of the team at reception."

Claire was given a £30 refund following their complaint.

But she said it wasn't a refund she was looking for - she was hoping the hotel would take appropriate action and admit they have a problem.

LancsLive approached Whitbread for a comment on the concerns but did not receive a response before the given deadline.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.