We are not responsible for Richard E. Grant’s state-of-the-fish and chips. Minister blasts complaining Withnail and I star after he posted video saying he felt ‘punished’ in £228-per-night UK quarantine hotel with ‘grim food’

  • Richard E. Grant was an actor who felt ‘punished’ after he stayed in a quarantine hospital
  • He stayed in Gatwick Holiday Inn, charged at £228 a night and served ‘grim food’
  • This was after the UK had changed the Covid travel rules following the Omicron variation. 
  • Minister today stated that it wasn’t the government’s responsibility to make hotel meals better
  • Kit Malthouse declared: “The government can do a lot, but it is not responsible for my Friday night’s fish and chips!”










Minister of the Interior dismissed Richard E. Grant’s claims about food quality at his quarantine hotel.

The Withnail and I star took to Twitter yesterday to say he felt ‘punished’ at being forced to quarantine for Covid at the Gatwick Holiday Inn – charging over £228 a night with ‘grim food’.

He had been visiting his 90-year-old mother in southern Africa but returned too late after the Government enforced new travel restrictions to fight the Omicron variant.

Kit Malthouse, the Policing Minister appeared today on LBC. Nick Ferrari addressed his dilemma during a discussion regarding Britain’s quarantine hotel. 

Mr Malthouse responded: ‘Well, you’d have to take that up with the chefs at the Holiday Inn or wherever it is he’s staying. 

‘I’m afraid the Government is responsible for a lot of things but not for the state of his fish and chips on a Friday night!’

Actor Richard E. Grant (pictured) said he feels 'punished' after being forced to quarantine for Covid in a hotel that charges more than £228 a night and serves 'grim food'

Actor Richard E. Grant (pictured) said he feels ‘punished’ after being forced to quarantine for Covid in a hotel that charges more than £228 a night and serves ‘grim food’

Policing minister Kit Malthouse said that no-one can do anything other than have sympathy for somebody forced to quarantine in a hotel

Kit Malthouse is the Policing Minister. He stated that anyone can show compassion for those who are forced to stay in hotels.

The Withnail and I star detailed how he had been forced to quarantine for ten days in the hotel

 The Withnail and I star detailed how he had been forced to quarantine for ten days in the hotel

Grant posted pictures on Twitter yesterday of a packaged tuna and cucumber sandwich, a sausage casserole and fish and chips, which he said would cost less than £30 to buy elsewhere. 

The 64-year-old said he was ‘confounded’ that a non-quarantine Holiday Inn nearby cost £89 including breakfast while he was being charged £228 to quarantine. He demanded: “How does Gov?”[ernment]Justification for this expense to a traveller “Hospitality “… feels unfair!

Nick Ferrari raised the issue of uneven costs in today’s LBC interview and asked Mr Malthouse why hotels make so much out people who are quarantined.

Minister said that travel restrictions were for both our and individual protection.

“I was aware of Richard’s situation in the hotel, and it is something that I saw. Nobody can help but feel for someone who has been there. I completely understand the drag that it is on people’s daily lives but we’re still dealing with the variations of this pandemic.’

Malthouse said that tests were being done on Omicron viruses strains in Britain by ‘world-leading scientist’, and results are due within two or three days.    

The actor said: 'I understand there are security costs in the hotel and you've got to pay for two Covid tests, but £228 a day to receive three meals of this very poor standard, in a supposed four-star Holiday Inn hotel, beggars belief'

The actor said: ‘I understand there are security costs in the hotel and you’ve got to pay for two Covid tests, but £228 a day to receive three meals of this very poor standard, in a supposed four-star Holiday Inn hotel, beggars belief’ 

The Withnail And I star had been visiting his 90-year-old mother in southern Africa when the Government enforced new travel restrictions to fight the Omicron variant

When the government imposed new travel restrictions in order to combat the Omicron variant, the Withnail And I star was visiting his mother of 90 years in South Africa.

Grant once hosted Richard E. Grant’s Hotel Secrets television series, which featured hotel reviews. He said in yesterday’s video: ‘I traveled to South Africa to visit my 90 year-old mother. I was caught by the red area Covid restrictions. 

‘I understand there are security costs in the hotel and you’ve got to pay for two Covid tests, but £228 a day to receive three meals of this very poor standard, in a supposed four-star Holiday Inn hotel, beggars belief.’  

A Government spokesperson stated that the Managed Quarantine Service was satisfied by most passengers.

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