Unbelievable story (Closed)

Bit long, but the following was in the Caravan times. It just goes to show how good the CC are.

Recently widowed motorhomer "banned" from caravan park following husband's death

A caravan park in Norfolk has come under fire after reportedly refusing to allow a recently-widowed motorhomer to pitch up because she was 'single'.

Annette Gration, whose husband of 40 years had passed away just four months prior to the incident, visited Searles Leisure Resort, in Hunstanton, with her best friends, Sue and John Gill, having previously visited the popular family-run park with her late
husband on previous occasions.

After booking two pitches next to each other in advance before arriving at Searles, Sue's husband was reportedly advised by a park representative at check-in that because Annette was 'single' she would no longer be entitled to stay at the park, despite being
advised that Annette had only recently lost her husband.

Reluctant to upset their friend, the Gills, who were visiting Annette to help take her mind off of losing her husband to cancer after nursing him for the last 18 months of his life, advised Searles' check-in staff that Annette's son would also be arriving
later in the day to stay in Annette's motorhome with her, at which point Annette was allowed to stay.

Sue said of the whole experience: "We chose Searles because it had some excellent reviews on the internet, plus it had an indoor swimming pool. Searles fitted the bill perfectly.

"Annette had never driven a motorhome whist her husband was alive, so driving and looking after her motorhome alone is still a very new and slightly daunting experience for her. She was trying hard to be brave and I knew that if I announced to her that she
could not stay at Searles it would be deeply upsetting and was not something I felt she could have handled." 

Of the incident, Sue continued: "Sadly, the check-in drama has left a very nasty taste in our mouths and I cannot understand why
any single person who is using their own caravan or motorhome is viewed so negatively by Searles."

Annette, 58, spoke to CaravanTimes about her experience at the hands of Searles and the upset of being told she could not stay at the site.

She said: "I felt like I was being treated like some sort of criminal or threat to society. It played on my mind all the time I was there. On arriving home, I kept thinking of this whole new world I was now in because I was a widow.

"After fighting cancer with my husband who was only 59 when he passed away, I felt sick inside that I was now being treated like such an oddity. I definitely feel this is discrimination."

CaravanTimes contacted
Searles which, according to its website, prides itself on 'core family values' including being 'friendly and courteous' whilst promoting 'fun and happiness', but company representatives declined to comment.

Annette has also emailed the park's managing director, Paul Searle, to ask as to why she had been "banned" from the site owing to her husband's death and is still awaiting a reply.