Newsnight expose - BCC responds

The British Cleaning Council has responded to the BBC’s Newsnight report on hotel hygiene, broadcast on 30 July. In this report allegations were made against the firm Hotelcare, stating that cleaners employed by them to work at the Park Plaza Hotel in London have been paid less than the minimum wage, received poor training and equipment and were forced to work in unacceptable conditions. There were also allegations made that the hygiene levels in the hotel were well below the acceptable standards as a direct result of these procedures.

The serious failings raised by this report have been strongly criticised by the British Cleaning Council. A spokesperson said: “This report displayed the consequences of a failure to invest in cleaning, which leads to inadequate hygiene levels and has serious ramifications for the public’s health.
Cleaning is the forgotten service that is vital to every industry, especially within the tourism sector. It is the first thing guests and visitors notice and should be prioritised accordingly. Additionally, the British Cleaning Council criticises organisations that force their employees to work for less than the minimum wage. Many trade unions and contract cleaners, including some of our members, have been campaigning to raise the wage of cleaners above the legal minimum wage, while all of the members at the British Cleaning Council take their legal and ethical obligations very seriously.”