Holiday Sickness

Frustrated Holidaymakers Take Battle To Court As Tour Operators 'Pull Wool Over Customer’s Eyes'

Lawyers acting for more than 60 frustrated holidaymakers struck down by illness at a notorious Spanish hotel in 2008 have today vowed to continue battling for justice against the tour operators refusing to take responsibility for the suffering caused.

The group have launched court proceedings following their disastrous holidays at the Beach Club Torremolinos Hotel on the Costa del Sol where many suffered gastric illness so severe they were hospitalised.  A number of those suing still suffer health problems today.

Travel experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell, who are representing the 48 adults and 16 children from across the UK, also successfully represented a total of more than 1,000 holidaymakers who suffered salmonella food poisoning, campylobacter and other gastric illnesses during their stays at the same hotel between 1999 and 2006.  The tour operators involved in those earlier cases include Thomson (TUI UK Ltd) and JMC Holidays Ltd (part of Thomas Cook) who repeatedly denied liability before being forced to make payments after Court action against them.  Total compensation paid so far to past guests at the hotel who became ill exceeds £2.5m.

Clive Garner, head of travel law at Irwin Mitchell said: "Despite numerous attempts to resolve this amicably and out of Court, the tour operators who our clients to the Beach Club Torremolinos in 2008 have continued to deny liability for the suffering caused at this hotel.

"We are determined to continue to fight for our clients to ensure that justice is done and that lessons are finally learnt at the Beach Club after years of intermittent problems there.

What's particularly alarming is that right now we are receiving calls from people who stayed at the Beach Club within the last few weeks and, like hundreds before them, have suffered illness.

"This hotel has a shameful history of illness dating back more than a decade.  Despite this, tour operators once again trying to pull the wool over their customers' eyes by denying any responsibility for their illnesses.

"As the number of people falling ill at the Beach Club and seeking help from us increases further, we are urging tour operators to review their relationship with the hotel and, if need be, send guests to alternative resorts."

The 64 holidaymakers for who Court proceedings have begun today travelled with tour operators TUI UK Ltd and Thomas Cook between March and August 2008.