Explanation demanded from Manchester hotel where rough sleepers turned away
The head of a committee says it appears discriminatory
The UK Parliament’s housing committee has written to the hotel group behind Holiday Inn to demand answers after rough sleepers were reportedly turned away from a Manchester hotel -despite having paid bookings.
Footage posted online appears to show staff at the Holiday Inn Express Manchester City Centre refusing entry to people experiencing homelessness, citing a policy against accommodating “people from the street”.
The bookings had been paid for by a local charity and the incident took place during freezing temperatures when emergency protocols to protect rough sleepers were in place.
“Utterly appalling”, says housing committee chair
In a letter sent to IHG Hotels & Resorts, which owns the Holiday Inn brand, committee chair Florence Eshalomi MP described the footage as “utterly appalling”.
She said it was “particularly egregious” that the incident happened while Manchester’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) was active, during which local authorities and community groups work to get people off the streets to prevent serious harm or death.
“At least two rough sleepers are known to have died in Manchester in recent weeks,” Eshalomi wrote.
The letter notes that Holiday Inn and other IHG hotels are regularly contracted by local councils to provide emergency accommodation, raising concerns about consistency and training across the company.
IHG asked to respond by end of January
The housing committee has requested a response from IHG by 28th January 2026, asking the company to explain what happened and whether there were any formal or informal policies in place against hosting people experiencing homelessness.
The letter also asks:
Whether similar incidents have occurred at other IHG hotels
What training staff receive on dealing with vulnerable guests
Whether the Manchester hotel has previously worked with local authorities to house homeless people
IHG has also been asked to provide a follow-up update by the end of April 2026, detailing any new staff training or changes to policy designed to prevent this from happening again.
The chain has previously apologised and denied that urning the men away was part of their policy.