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Entire Yorkshire coaching team leave after racism storm

Entire Yorkshire coaching team leave after racism storm

All members of Yorkshire's coaching team have left, including director of cricket Martyn Moxon and coach Andrew Gale, the club said on Friday as it vowed to regain trust and rebuild after being rocked by allegations of institutional racism.

First team coach and former captain Gale was suspended last month as part of a probe into an alleged anti-Semitic tweet he sent in 2010 while Moxon had been absent from work due to a "stress-related illness".


The departures follow allegations made by former player Azeem Rafiq, who is of Pakistani descent and is a former captain of the England Under-19s.

Rafiq said he had received racist abuse and was made to feel like an outsider at Yorkshire and that he had even contemplated suicide.

The scandal has shaken English sport, cost Yorkshire sponsors and the right to host England internationals, and embroiled some of the biggest names in English cricket.

Yorkshire, whose chief executive Mark Arthur resigned last month, said in a statement a new director of cricket will be appointed imminently and a new coaching team was being recruited.

The backroom medical team, provided by an outside clinic, had also left.

"Significant change is required at Yorkshire County Cricket Club and we are committed to taking whatever action is necessary to regain trust," said new chairman Kamlesh Patel.

"The decisions announced today were difficult to make, but are in the best interests of the club. Without making important changes to how we are run, we cannot move on from the past to become a culture which is progressive and inclusive."

Patel said the club had a "huge rebuilding job to do" and was determined to learn from the mistakes made.

"We want to make Yorkshire County Cricket Club a place for everyone, from all backgrounds. To do this, we need to rebuild our culture and instil positive values in everyone associated with Yorkshire," he added.

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Pub hotel group beat luxury chains in UK guest satisfaction survey

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  • Coaching Inn Group scores 81 per cent customer satisfaction, beating Marriott and Hilton.
  • Wetherspoon Hotels named best value at £70 per night.
  • Britannia Hotels ranks bottom for 12th consecutive year with 44 per cent score.
A traditional pub hotel group has outperformed luxury international chains in the UK's largest guest satisfaction survey, while one major operator continues its decade-long streak at the bottom of the rankings.
The Coaching Inn Group, comprising 36 relaxed inn-style hotels in historic buildings across beauty spots and market towns, achieved the highest customer score of 81per cent among large chains in Which?'s annual hotel survey. The group earned five stars for customer service and accuracy of descriptions, with guests praising its "lovely locations and excellent food and service.
"The survey, conducted amongst 4,631 guests, asked respondents to rate their stays across eight categories including cleanliness, customer service, breakfast quality, bed comfort and value for money. At an average £128 per night, Coaching Inn demonstrated that mid-range pricing with consistent quality appeals to British travellers.
J D Wetherspoon Hotels claimed both the Which? Recommended Provider status (WRPs) and Great Value badge for the first time, offering rooms at just £70 per night while maintaining four-star ratings across most categories. Guests described their stays as "clean, comfortable and good value.
"Among boutique chains, Hotel Indigo scored 79 per cent with its neighbourhood-inspired design, while InterContinental achieved 80per cent despite charging over £300 per night, and the chain missed WRP status for this reason.

Budget brands decline

However, Premier Inn, long considered Britain's reliable budget choice, lost its recommended status this year. Despite maintaining comfortable beds, guests reported "standards were slipping" and prices "no longer budget levels" at an average £94 per night.

The survey's biggest disappointment remains Britannia Hotels, scoring just 44 per cent and one star for bedroom and bathroom quality. This marks twelve consecutive years at the bottom, with guests at properties like Folkestone's Grand Burstin calling it a total dive.

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