Irish B&B Federation slams grading call

The Irish Bed & Breakfast Federation has attacked a suggestion that B&Bs should be graded.

The call for voluntary classification was made by Vera Feeney, chairwoman of the Federation's rival, the Town & Country Homes Association, in an interview with the Irish tourist board's magazine.

Feeney said that classification was a key issue raised in a survey of the association's guests. But the B&B federation said that its guests had not asked for it.

The federation's spokesperson, Angela Tarrant, said: "We want high standards in the industry, but we cannot see how grading would work. If Grade A charges IR£18 a night, how much could Grade D charge?"

Raising prices in top B&Bs to allow for lower classification pricing would mean direct competition with economy hotels, and business failures could result, according to the federation.

Feeney concedes that competition for B&B business continues to grow, but she said that B&Bs should not be treated in the same way as hotels.