Claims of chaos at Holiday Inn Express Cardiff Airport

On the surface, it might sound like a reasonable short-term solution to a problem that is plaguing the county and society as a whole, however we have received reports of a lack of facilities at the hotel, disturbances and late night parties, and even alleged drug taking, making homeless people’s lives even more hellish.

‘The noise at night is shocking. Rooms are trashed. It is a nightmare’

Stuart Giggs used to be a successful publican, running the popular Tynewydd Inn in Barry on behalf of Brains Brewery. Mr Giggs did such a good job he was given a special award by MP Alun Cairns, but from there his life spiralled.

Thinking he was on the up Mr Giggs invested £10,000 into a pub in Caerphilly - but then Covid hit and Mr Giggs lost everything.

He moved into his mother’s home temporarily, but ended up homeless in the Holiday Inn Cardiff Airport.

Mr Giggs described how the noise at 1am was “unbelievable” as he tried to sleep.

He described a communal area that was “disgusting”, with no hand basin for washing.

Now, sadly Mr Giggs is residing in his van as he struggles to apply for social housing.

He told us: “There are drugs (at the hotel). You can smell it in the corridor. The noise at night is shocking. Rooms are trashed. It is a nightmare.

“The communal area has only a microwave, toaster and kettle for up to 70 people to use. Food is stolen and people take milk out the communal fridge and drink it straight out the bottle.”

Mr Giggs said the experience had left him “broken” and he did not want to see others go through what he had.

“I do not want to see people like this,” said Mr Giggs. “I used to be a fun-loving guy, but I am broken now.”

Former publican Stuart Giggs now sleeps in his van after encountering the hotel at Cardiff Airport (Image: Stuart Giggs)

‘It is not the right place to house homeless people’

India Jones works as a chef in the military. She described how she was lucky to have a car so she could get away from the hotel, which she described as “isolating”, and that it was not the right place for the homeless.

“I do not think it is very fair,” explained Ms Jones. “There is a lot of drug activity and people who have come out of prison and have a problem with that.

“I do not think it is the right place to house homeless people.”

Now Ms Jones lives in fear in an HMO with four other men. She said she was unjustly thrown out the hotel over a dispute with another occupant.

A homeless person sleeps outside the Vale County offices (Image: Jason Wyatt)

Barry mother’s fears for homeless daughter and person sleeps on the steps of the Vale Council

In April we heard about Sandra Thomas’ daughter, just 22, who was made homeless after breaking up with her boyfriend.

This came at the same time as a shocking photo showed a person sleeping rough on the steps of the Vale Council offices.

Sandra Thomas feared for her daughter's life because of the facilities at the hotel (Image: Supplied)

Ms Thomas’ daughter ended up at the Holiday Inn. Ms Thomas said: “There’s a lot of men shouting and screaming in the other rooms.”

“The toilet smells, the bathroom has no ventilation. She cannot eat with the bathroom right by her bed. It is horrible.”

We asked the Vale Council about the situation. Read what they said here.

We contacted Holiday Inn for comment, but they have not as yet responded.

How bad is the homeless situation in the Vale? Contact us about it at harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk