Blogger apologises for ‘selfish’ Tier 3 holiday to Dubai
SHE TOOK CHRISTMAS FLIGHT WITH CAR FIRM BOSS PARTNER
THE partner of the chief executive of Available Car, which has its head office in Castle Donington, has apologised for her “poor judgment” after it emerged the couple travelled abroad over Christmas.
Michael Bell and his beauty vlogger partner Fleur De Force flew to Dubai for a break with their daughter despite the Government advising people at the time to think very “carefully” before travelling due to the risks attached to coronavirus.
A report in the Daily Mail says the couple have since faced a fierce backlash over the trip after it was claimed around “300 people” were made redundant from Available Car from the summer of 2020.
The report states that the couple flew out to the luxurious destination on Boxing Day despite Government guidance at the time saying residents in Tier 3 should “carefully consider whether they must travel abroad”.
On social media, the couple, who live in Northamptonshire, have been branded “selfish” and “insensitive” for their actions. However, they did not break any laws by going on the trip.
Mr Bell’s partner - who has a huge following on Instagram and YouTube issued a statement on her Instagram page to clarify their reasoning for the trip but apologised after realising she had made a mistake.
She said: “Yes, I’ve been out in Dubai. We booked it just before Tier 4 was announced in the South East and London, and flew out on Boxing Day, not breaking any laws.
“When filming my final Vlogmas video the night Tier 4 was announced, we didn’t think this trip would be going ahead, but following the Government announcement on the 23rd, I believed the restrictions in our area were still Tier 2 at the time of our flight (10pm on Boxing Day) and we took the decision to still travel.
“I was actually mistaken in this and we were in fact Tier 3 at the time – so still legally allowed to travel, but strongly advised against doing so (something I have, unbelievably stupidly, only just realised as highlighted by some of you).
“This was a misunderstanding on my part as I thought the rules came into effect at midnight on Boxing Day, not midnight coming into Boxing Day.
“I’m not trying to make an excuse for my poor judgment here, only trying to explain my thinking at the time. Obviously we were all tested before travel as required. “Obviously the situation in the UK has very rapidly escalated since then and, in hindsight, I made a very wrong decision. I should have realised it was morally the wrong decision, even if it wasn’t legally wrong at the time, rather than acting like a sheep and thinking because others were doing it, it was OK.
“For that I can only apologise, learn from this and do better in the future.”
Last year the Derby Telegraph reported that Available Car had told staff there could be potential redundancies, with Mr Bell saying there were challenging times ahead for the company.
It is not known how many people have been made redundant by the firm which also has branches in Sutton-inAshfield, Cannock and Leeds.
The Derby Telegraph has approached Available Car for comment over the redundancy situation and Mr Bell’s Dubai trip.
I should have realised it was morally the wrong decision, even if it wasn’t legally wrong at the time. Fleur De Force