The owner of a hotel, similar to Basil Fawlty from a TV show, was known for cursing at his guests and running a poorly maintained establishment.

John Dixon Hart was a man who owned a hotel that he advertised as three or four stars, even though it was actually quite shabby. He was like a real-life version of Basil Fawlty, the infamous rude hotel owner from the TV show Fawlty Towers. One time, he got drunk on vodka and started swearing at his guests, causing a lot of trouble for himself.

Recently, John appeared in court for falsely claiming that his guesthouse had three or four-star rooms and using misleading photos to advertise online. The judge, Mark Bury, compared him to Basil Fawlty and said that even one star would be too generous for his guesthouse. The Minster Garth Guest House in Beverley, Yorkshire, had received numerous complaints about the dirty and rundown rooms, as well as Hart's unwelcoming behavior towards guests.

Some of the guests even had to buy their own cleaning products because the rooms were so unhygienic. One woman described the place as an "absolute dump" with missing door handles, threadbare carpets, and stained bedding. The building itself was also in a poor state, with unkempt grounds and delays in checking guests in due to an unmanned reception area.

Despite all the complaints, Hart refused to give refunds and even got into arguments with guests, including a group of international equestrian judges. He claimed that the guests were exaggerating their problems and had not booked flexible rates. However, he did apologize for calling a woman a derogatory name during a heated exchange.

The court heard that Hart had been suffering from personal stress and upset after his wife left him, causing him to pay less attention to his business. He admitted to drinking quite a bit of vodka and coke in the evenings, which worsened his behavior towards guests. However, he claimed that the reason he was able to attract customers was because his prices were the cheapest in Beverley.

Despite all the negative reviews and complaints, Hart had made some improvements to the guesthouse, such as redecorating and addressing various issues. He hoped that his two sons and stepson could take over the business in the future. The judge acknowledged that Hart had made impressive progress since leaving prison, including giving up drinking, and decided to give him a suspended sentence.

In the end, Hart pleaded guilty to six offenses involving misleading commercial practices, including using false information and photos on popular websites to attract customers. He was ordered to pay compensation to some of the guests who had complained. Hopefully, with the changes he has made and the potential of the beautiful building, the Minster Garth Guest House can become a successful business.

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