Lenny Henry snubs Premier Inns for luxury Christchurch hotel

10:00am Wednesday 21st November 2012 in News By Steven Smith

Lenny Henry Lenny Henry

COMEDIAN Lenny Henry snubbed the £29-a-night hotels that he advertises to stay at one of Dorset’s most upmarket venues.

Lenny, 54, performed at Wimborne’s Tivoli theatre on Saturday night but, instead of choosing to stay in one of a number of budget Premier Inns around the area, elected for a little more luxury at Christchurch’s Captains Club.

In the television adverts Lenny boasts that ‘everything’s premier but the price’, but clearly it just wasn’t premier enough.

Lenny could have chosen to stay at several Premier Inns close to Wimborne – at Fern-down, one of several in Poole, Bournemouth or even Highcliffe, but elected for the Captains Club, where rooms can cost up to £319 a night.

A spokesperson for the Captains Club said: “Due to guest confidentially we cannot confirm that Lenny Henry has stayed with us, but obviously someone has taken pictures of him at the hotel.

“We hope this has not caused Mr Henry any embarrassment with Premier Inn.”

Lenny, who refused to comment on the story, has been the face of the low-cost hotel chain since 2009.

One Captains Club guest told a national newspaper yesterday: “Lenny seemed to enjoy his stay, but it was noted by a few guests that Premier Inn wouldn’t be too happy, especially when there was one nearer to where he was performing.

“He is no doubt being paid a handsome sum to be the face of their chain.

“So for him to openly show he prefers staying somewhere else hardly makes him a very good ambassador for the company.”

The Captains Club, on the banks of the River Stour, has a spa and a two-AA rosette restaurant.

Premier Inn said Lenny often stayed at its hotels and added: “But variety is the spice of life. I’m sure we’ll be welcoming him back soon.”

Comments(38)

Controversial But True says...
10:09am Wed 21 Nov 12

Oh no!! That's terrible news!! Shocking!!!

Well done Echo. Finally a worthwhile piece of journalism!!!! You even got Lenny to pose for the usual Echo story look!!

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BarrHumbug says...
10:27am Wed 21 Nov 12

And so?
Do you think Fernando Alonso drives a Fiat 500? or Christiano Ronaldo drives a Suzuki Swift?
Stupid, no news article!

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Daffodil2 says...
10:28am Wed 21 Nov 12

So what!! Must be a really slow news day!

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rayc says...
10:33am Wed 21 Nov 12

I see that Martin Clunes has been dropped by Churchill after getting banned under the totting up rules.
I suppose the Echo now expect him to advertise for Dorsetroadsafe?

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Telscombe Cliffy says...
10:35am Wed 21 Nov 12

He's probably sick of all that purple.

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HRH of Boscombe says...
10:42am Wed 21 Nov 12

BarrHumbug wrote:
And so? Do you think Fernando Alonso drives a Fiat 500? or Christiano Ronaldo drives a Suzuki Swift? Stupid, no news article!
Exactly. He gets paid to do a few adverts. Doesn't mean he has to stay there.

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The Liberal says...
10:42am Wed 21 Nov 12

No way. Next you'll be telling us that Ronnie Corbett doesn't eat only Wiltshire Farm Foods meals.

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hadvar says...
10:48am Wed 21 Nov 12

Blimey. You are telling me that a very wealthy person prefers expensive hotels rather than cheap ones? Thank god we live in a nation with a free press, where this kind of story can be uncovered. This story will doubtless be framed, and mounted on the boardroom wall at Echo Towers, along with the 'Pope is Catholic' scoop and the 'Ursid mammals defecate in forested regions' exclusive.

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Humf says...
11:14am Wed 21 Nov 12

"it was noted by a few guests that Premier Inn wouldn’t be too happy" - truthfully? I get the feeling this was all done from this chap's desk on Richmond Hill.

Apart from that, Lenny is probably aware that the hotel reception and rooms advert look nothing like the real thing.

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John T says...
11:15am Wed 21 Nov 12

From the accompanying photograph of Lenny Henry, it would appear that he is so shocked and stressed out that the Echo's investigative reporters have discovered so much about his sleeping habits, he will be taking at least 9 days sick leave this year.

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In Absentia says...
11:25am Wed 21 Nov 12

I wonder which national paper they pinched this from?

What a load of nonsense.

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Adrian XX says...
11:39am Wed 21 Nov 12

I've stayed in a premier inn (not that one) - a very sad place with old windows that let in sound from the nearby dual carriageway. They're certainly not "premier".

It's not really possible for a company like Whitbread to produce anything of quality. Their beer was cr?p and they took over and ruined many a small brewery back in the day. The unacceptable face of capitalism.

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Arthur Maureen says...
11:43am Wed 21 Nov 12

With articles like this Steven Smith, it's only a matter of time before the nationals come knocking..

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burgerboy says...
11:57am Wed 21 Nov 12

The Liberal wrote:
No way. Next you'll be telling us that Ronnie Corbett doesn't eat only Wiltshire Farm Foods meals.
Not any more, now that the van was nicked from alder road a couple of weeks ago.(;o). HA HA HA.

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Mr N James says...
12:25pm Wed 21 Nov 12

The Captians club is my sort of place its very very nice i often go there for mettings. one always gets wonderful food and the staff are superb .Im sure lenny had wonderful stay.

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Letcommonsenseprevail says...
12:53pm Wed 21 Nov 12

Of course he would - he get pays to advertise the 'hotel' - not to stay in the darn things!!!! Why is this news?

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Dorset Logic says...
1:56pm Wed 21 Nov 12

Does this mean that linda bellingham may not use oxo cubes?

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s-pb2 says...
4:26pm Wed 21 Nov 12

The biggest scandal here is that Steven Smith takes home a nice salary for what he calls journalism.

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BIGTONE says...
7:11pm Wed 21 Nov 12

I used cushelle bogroll for the first time today.

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Football banning order yob says...
8:28pm Wed 21 Nov 12

who cares he a washed up has been.. not even funny,

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pete woodley says...
8:56pm Wed 21 Nov 12

Football banning order yob wrote:
who cares he a washed up has been.. not even funny,
Agreed,and a racialist as well.

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yesitsmeagain says...
9:34pm Wed 21 Nov 12

pete woodley wrote:
Football banning order yob wrote:
who cares he a washed up has been.. not even funny,
Agreed,and a racialist as well.
watch it pete thats libelous , look what mcalpine is doing!

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pete woodley says...
11:09pm Wed 21 Nov 12

yesitsmeagain wrote:
pete woodley wrote:
Football banning order yob wrote:
who cares he a washed up has been.. not even funny,
Agreed,and a racialist as well.
watch it pete thats libelous , look what mcalpine is doing!
Oh, go and play with your hedgehogs !.

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yesitsmeagain says...
6:14am Thu 22 Nov 12

pete woodley wrote:
yesitsmeagain wrote:
pete woodley wrote:
Football banning order yob wrote:
who cares he a washed up has been.. not even funny,
Agreed,and a racialist as well.
watch it pete thats libelous , look what mcalpine is doing!
Oh, go and play with your hedgehogs !.
just a friendly warning that i found your previous comment offensive ;)

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piratefan86 says...
9:00am Thu 22 Nov 12

Ah, yes. The infamous Pete Woodly putting is foot in it...again! ;)

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HRH of Boscombe says...
9:56am Thu 22 Nov 12

piratefan86 wrote:
Ah, yes. The infamous Pete Woodly putting is foot in it...again! ;)
Mr Woolly is always quick to report posts he doesn't like however.

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Taffytim says...
11:28am Thu 22 Nov 12

im on the same bus as you lot.

This is rubbish, i hope the reporter is on work experience and not a full time employee of our local rag.

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Arjay says...
12:00pm Thu 22 Nov 12

HRH of Boscombe wrote:
piratefan86 wrote:
Ah, yes. The infamous Pete Woodly putting is foot in it...again! ;)
Mr Woolly is always quick to report posts he doesn't like however.
I take it that your writing the name as 'Mr.Woolly' is a comment, rather than a spelling mistake?....

Report this post »

Letcommonsenseprevail says...
12:43pm Thu 22 Nov 12

BIGTONE wrote:
I used cushelle bogroll for the first time today.
Be careful using it for a second time................
............

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portia6 says...
1:19pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Goodness me and fiddly dee, what a
story, hope that Lenny finds a lot of
new jokes to tell about Premier Inn.

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bobsworthforever says...
3:45pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Does Heston Blumental use those little Knorr stock cubes i doubt it probably uses Oxo cubes like the rest of us.

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Bigbaddon says...
5:27pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Who Cares Where He Stays... Silly Story...

I stubbed my toe on the door frame .. can pull a silly face and cross my arms if the echo wants to do a feature ...

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pete woodley says...
5:46pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Arjay wrote:
HRH of Boscombe wrote:
piratefan86 wrote:
Ah, yes. The infamous Pete Woodly putting is foot in it...again! ;)
Mr Woolly is always quick to report posts he doesn't like however.
I take it that your writing the name as 'Mr.Woolly' is a comment, rather than a spelling mistake?....
Why arnt you at school.

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pete woodley says...
5:47pm Thu 22 Nov 12

piratefan86 wrote:
Ah, yes. The infamous Pete Woodly putting is foot in it...again! ;)
And you have the mouth it would fit.

Report this post »

portia6 says...
9:31pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Where would we be without TV ads?
Lets get Martin Clunes and Lenny
Henry to appear in a commercial
together, Premier Churchill we are all
in it together!

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scrumpyjack says...
11:42am Fri 23 Nov 12

HRH of Boscombe wrote:
piratefan86 wrote:
Ah, yes. The infamous Pete Woodly putting is foot in it...again! ;)
Mr Woolly is always quick to report posts he doesn't like however.
Hey come on, we all know dear old Willy never claims he is picked on and never says anything nasty.

I think of him as a sweet Father Christmas type character spreading joy, love and above all wisdom where ever he does tread......

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pete woodley says...
3:46pm Fri 23 Nov 12

Afternoon scrumpy.

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portia6 says...
2:33am Sat 24 Nov 12

Happy Christmas all!

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