Woman claims 'Premier Inn would’ve left me to die in fire because I’m a wheelchair user'

Alex_Alumni

This week has seen a few upsetting stories develop relating to disability rights, including Dr Hannah Barham-Brown's latest experience at a Premier Inn in London. 

Writing exclusively for The Mirror, the story was captured by disabled journalist Rachel Charlton-Dailey, working with Kelly-Ann Mills.

Dr Hannah found on returning from a Motability event at the House of Lords, that she could only access the hotel through a back entrance, through a security gate which had been padlocked shut. 

After a lot of waiting around and staff coming and going, Hannah made it up to her room:

In her hotel room just an hour before the alarm went off, Dr Barham-Brown posted on her Instagram stories that she was “terrified of what would happen if there was a fire alarm” - only for her worst fears to become reality.

She said: "I was woken at 1.15am by a fire alarm, I’d been told earlier in the day that if there was a fire alarm to stay put and someone would come to me - but they didn’t."

Dr Barham-Brown claims she was left with no way of contacting the front desk as she “doesn’t think there was a phone” in her room, just an emergency button.

“The door of my room had evacuation instructions but even though it was an accessible room, the instructions were for non-disabled people," she added.

After 15 minutes Dr Barham-Brown realised no-one was coming to help her evacuate.

Dr Hannah's colleague's found her in the stairwell, and managed to help her out of the hotel, and then back in after what was a false alarm. 

“A member of staff came and said 'We're really sorry, but we divided all the roles between us and there wasn't anyone left to come and get you', to which I said, 'You're telling me you would have left me there'," she recalled.

"And they said 'well yes, I suppose so'."

She added: "There was never any indication from them that it wasn’t an emergency situation.

"If I had followed their advice and it had been a real fire, I would’ve been left to die."

Dr Hannah is now pursuing legal action against the hotel chain after this experience. 

Have you had any upsetting experiences of your own when staying at a hotel? 

What do you think needs to change to stop this happening in future?

durhamjaide2001

Apparently what I have been told was if it was a real fine they would get you out. However if it's just an practice fire alarm they don't get those with wheelchair needs out of the buildings but there's a special  place where you are supposed to call someone and wait. I don't know if this is different in a hotel. 

Alex_Alumni

I know what you mean yes, I had similar at university, it's called a refuge point I think. I believe Dr Hannah met her colleagues at the refuge point at the top of the stairwell @durhamjaide2001, but I don't know if there was a way to call anyone from there. 

I can imagine it must be incredibly stressful with the alarm sounding and having no idea if anyone is coming to help!

durhamjaide2001

There was a call point in my college 

Siwheels73

Having just been to a Premier Inn yesterday, something doesn't ring true to me about this situation. Premier Inn are VERY good at taking disability issues into account from an evacuation point of view, and this has been the case each and every time my wife and I have stayed with them.
I wonder if this is a case of an academic with an axe to grind, and a point to prove? 

As for taking it through a legal process? I think she is crazy, as Premier Inn's legal Department will be doing it for more than the publicity that the Academic seems to be after. The story is written purely from her point of view.

Alex_Alumni

Hi @Siwheels73, just to clarify, Hannah is not an academic in the sense of a 'PhD' doctor, she is a GP I believe

I'm glad to hear that your own experience at Premier Inn has been more positive!