Straight Talking

‘“LOVE is all you need.” So sang the Beatles and so says the slogan for Sandals’ couples holidays in the Caribbean – except in the latter case it isn’t true.

Soon to be known as Thongs

You also need to be heterosexual.

And now the firm has been banned from advertising on the Tube in London because of its discriminatory stance.

Mayor Ken Livingstone stepped in to enforce the ban after complaints from gay groups and others about the adverts aimed at “romantic, mixed sex couples only”.

Former equality minister Barbara Roche tells the Independent: “It is clear, overt discrimination and yet the law can do nothing.

“If they has a policy banning black couples or Jewish couples, they wouldn’t be allowed to get away with it. Why should they with gay couples?”

However Sandals was unrepentant.

“The Sandals concept was introduced for a niche market, predominantly honeymoons and weddings,” it says.

“The company also operates seven Beaches Resorts, which cater for singles, families, groups, everyone.”

And that includes gays, blacks, Jews, Crystal Palace fans…’

Posted: 29th, September 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink