Irishman bans Welsh language from his hotel
Lleffelys Yganydd | 17.07.2003 20:51 | Culture | Repression | Social Struggles
A controversy is brewing in north Wales following revelations that an Irish hotel owner in a Welsh-speaking area has told his staff to stop speaking Welsh.
The controversy arose because of an investigation into the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon by the BBC Wales television programme, "Taro Naw".
The hotel was bought by a group of businessmen from Ireland a few years ago who then received substantial amounts of public money to develop it.
"Taro Naw" investigated complaints made by a number of former staff among them that the management of the hotel had ordered staff not to speak Welsh to each other in front of guests.
According to one who worked as a porter: 'If you were talking in Welsh on the walkie-talkie, you were warned that you would be sacked.'
The controversy arose because of an investigation into the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon by the BBC Wales television programme, "Taro Naw".
The hotel was bought by a group of businessmen from Ireland a few years ago who then received substantial amounts of public money to develop it.
"Taro Naw" investigated complaints made by a number of former staff among them that the management of the hotel had ordered staff not to speak Welsh to each other in front of guests.
According to one who worked as a porter: 'If you were talking in Welsh on the walkie-talkie, you were warned that you would be sacked.'
When "Taro Naw" researchers confronted hotel owner, James White, from Donegal in Ireland, he replied that 'the Welsh were very touchy about their language and that it was not the same in Ireland.'
He went on: 'We haven’t built up the tourist industry in Ireland by being anti-English. If anybody should be anti-English, it probably should be the Irish.'
Among the public bodies who have contributed grants totalling £1 million (1,670,000 Euro) towards the development of the hotel are the Welsh Tourist Board and the local authority, Gwynedd County Council.
The Tourist Board is encouraging owners of Welsh businesses to make use of the Welsh language and culture to promote their businesses.
According to the board, visitors are looking for 'something different' that they would not receive in England.
A spokesman said that they were disappointed with the hotel’s policy. 'The fact that that staff speak Welsh to each other does not make the place less welcoming. The speaking of one’s language is a matter of human rights.'
Gwynedd County Council, which has a majority of Plaid Cymru (The Welsh Nationalist Party) members, has a full bilingual policy and makes more use of Welsh than any other local authority in Wales. The council has so far refused to comment.
The Welsh Language Board has also been keen for businesses to use the Welsh language.
A spokesman expressed disappointment that an employer has taken such a negative attitude towards the language.
'Nobody has yet complained to us. Until we get the relevant facts we cannot take any steps,' he added.
The new owners were warmly welcomed to Caernarfon initially, not only because they brought much needed investment into the town, but also because they were fellow Celts. Their attitude to the language has surprised many in the area.
He went on: 'We haven’t built up the tourist industry in Ireland by being anti-English. If anybody should be anti-English, it probably should be the Irish.'
Among the public bodies who have contributed grants totalling £1 million (1,670,000 Euro) towards the development of the hotel are the Welsh Tourist Board and the local authority, Gwynedd County Council.
The Tourist Board is encouraging owners of Welsh businesses to make use of the Welsh language and culture to promote their businesses.
According to the board, visitors are looking for 'something different' that they would not receive in England.
A spokesman said that they were disappointed with the hotel’s policy. 'The fact that that staff speak Welsh to each other does not make the place less welcoming. The speaking of one’s language is a matter of human rights.'
Gwynedd County Council, which has a majority of Plaid Cymru (The Welsh Nationalist Party) members, has a full bilingual policy and makes more use of Welsh than any other local authority in Wales. The council has so far refused to comment.
The Welsh Language Board has also been keen for businesses to use the Welsh language.
A spokesman expressed disappointment that an employer has taken such a negative attitude towards the language.
'Nobody has yet complained to us. Until we get the relevant facts we cannot take any steps,' he added.
The new owners were warmly welcomed to Caernarfon initially, not only because they brought much needed investment into the town, but also because they were fellow Celts. Their attitude to the language has surprised many in the area.
Lleffelys Yganydd
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