Company promises chav-free holidays

A vibrant culture, sumptuous cuisine and an upmarket reputation - these are some of the qualities that entice the more refined holidaymaker. One firm, however, claims it has the ultimate attraction - a 'chav-free' vacation.

Activities Abroad contacted 24,000 customers with a list of names they were not likely to encounter on one of its getaways, including Britney, Dazza, Chardonnay and Candice. But the email caused a series of complaints - with customers accusing the firm's boss of 'smug class warfare' and threatening a boycott.

The company's founder, Alistair McLean, said he wrote the email after reading about how children with 'middle- class names' are more likely to pass their GCSEs. In the email newsletter, headed Chav Free Activity Holidays, he wrote: 'This got us to thinking. Are there names you are likely to encounter or not encounter on an Activities Abroad holiday? After a lot of research we came up with two lists of names.



'Unlikely: Britney, Kylie-Lianne, Bianca, Tiffany, Dazza, Chardonnay, Chantelle, Candice, Courtney, Shannon.

'Likely: John, Sarah, James, Charles, Rachel, Michael, Alice, Lucy, Joseph, Charlotte. Nuff said, innit?'

Mr McLean said he had received 15 complaints so far.