It's time middle classes stood up to 'chav culture'

A TRAVEL company boss under fire for offering “chav-free” holidays said last night he was simply standing up for the middle classes, adding: “We are only saying what a lot of people think.”

CONTROVERSIAL The chav free holidays have been met with a mixed response CONTROVERSIAL: The chav-free holidays have been met with a mixed response

Alistair McLean, managing director of Activities Abroad, sparked outrage after promising trips away from people called Britney, Dazza or Shannon.

But last night he was unrepentant. He said: “We are contributing the most to society and we are being taken for a ride. We are being taxed to the hilt.”

Mr McLean, 45, who claimed he has been branded a fascist, added: “I feel it is time the middle classes stood up for themselves.

“Everybody else seems to take from us, whether it is incompetent bankers or the shell-suited urchins who haunt our street corners.

“So, regardless of whether it is class warfare or not, I make no apology.”

Last night Conservative MP David Davies said: “There are a lot of decent people who do not earn lots of money but contribute to society.

Everybody else seems to take from us, whether it is incompetent bankers or the shell-suited urchins who haunt our street corners.

Alistair McLean

“But they are being undermined by a growing number whose lives revolve around petty crime, drink and drugs and have no concept of what work is.” Mr McLean made his remarks in an email to 24,000 customers.

He included a list of names travellers were likely to encounter on one of his holidays – such as Sarah, Charles and Alice – but promised a wide berth from people called Kylie, Chantelle and Tiffany.

He also claimed there is evidence that children with names such as Duncan and Catherine were eight times more likely to pass their GCSEs than children called Wayne or Dwayne.

He ended his email: “Nuff said, innit?”

However, a number of customers vowed never to travel with Activities Abroad again.

One said: “Speaking as a Candice myself, I would like to say the following: “I own my own business, have a postgraduate degree, an undergraduate degree, four A-levels, an advanced diploma in life skills, a diploma in performance coaching, GCSEs, speak French and Italian and drive a Merc.

“Happy slap that, you idiot.”

Another said: “Don’t let anybody tell you class is not a live issue in Britain.”

Based in Stannington, Northumberland, the firm organises holidays from husky safaris to volcano hiking.

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