Wainuiomata hits back at motel ban

Prominent residents of Wainuiomata have hit back at a Palmerston North "Basil Fawlty" who has banned anyone from the Lower Hutt suburb from ever staying at his motel.

The 16,000 residents were slapped with a blanket ban by Steve Donnelly, Australian owner of Palmerston North's Supreme Motor Lodge this week, after a series of misdemeanours by visiting sports teams.

Visitors from Wainuiomata were more trouble than they were worth, he told the Dominion Post.

"Having had about a hundred people from there over the last couple of years and maybe one that we liked...it is not worth it and we would do the same to anyone who causes us that level of stress."

Sports teams from Wainuiomata High School and the town's indoor sports club were accused of spitting, playing loud music at night, using obscene language and being unruly.

Wainuiomata High School principal Rob Mill told the paper motel manager Malcolm Glen was to blame.

"They are teenagers, so there is going to be some level of noise. The manager was quite unreasonable and actually quite aggressive."

Labour MP Trevor Mallard, born and bred in Wainuiomata, said the move was absolutely outrageous.

"It's stupid and very, very unfair. It shows the sort of blind prejudice I thought we didn't have in New Zealand any more. I'm not surprised the (owner's) Australian," he told the paper

- NZPA