A tour operator offering apartments in Portugal during the European Championships next year has taken steps to stop male football fans making bookings.
The Villa Agency says it will not accept bookings
from single sex groups between 12 June and 4 July 2004 because it wants to protect itself from “a mindless minority who will be going to cause trouble”.
The operator is also asking people making bookings for the period for a full non-refundable booking deposit at the time the reservation is made, and a full security deposit payable eight weeks before the start of the holiday.
Managing director, Karen Lippitt said: “The recent crowd problems at a number of England’s games have caused us to reassess this course of action.
“Should England qualify, most of the fans will be travelling to Portugal in 2004 to support the team, but there is that mindless minority who will be going to cause trouble – and it is from this minority that we have to protect our properties.”
The Villa Agency features over 150 self-catering villas
in the Algarve and around Lisbon. A villa for four on the Lisbon coast starts at £959 for one week in June and July 2004. Flights and car hire are extra.
