Blind singer wins hotel court case

A blind singer from Merseyside has won a legal case for discrimination after a hotel allegedly cancelled a booking because of her guide dog. Heidi McGeough, 32, was due to sing at a hotel in Rhyl, north Wales, on Christmas Day. But when the hotel discovered she had a guide dog, Isobel, they cancelled the booking because a guest with an allergy had complained, an employment tribunal heard. McGeough, of Hoylake, Wirral, has won her fight for disability discrimination after the Morville hotel failed to contest the case. She was awarded £1,400 for loss of earnings and injury to her feelings. The hotel says it will appeal against the decision. After the hearing McGeough, who suffers from the condition albinism, said: "I felt insulted, embarrassed and upset. I get discriminated against all the time, but I only took this matter to court because it left me out of pocket." The tribunal in Liverpool was told that McGeough's agent, Alan Bennett, had met the hotel's managing director Phil O'Dwyer. Giving evidence, Bennett said he and O'Dwyer verbally agreed a date and fee. They exchanged contracts but he never received a signed contract back because of the cancellation. Bennett said: "All kinds of excuses were made, including the fact that they didn't think she was a very good singer, but I'd taken down a CD of her material and they said how good she was." O'Dwyer said: "We never employed her... we do allow guide dogs here and I've even got a dog myself. I intend to appeal.