by Anna White
awhite@thekmgroup.co.uk

A woman has been told to pay £80 for a new passport after it was stamped with a nightclub’s logo.

Jenna Wade, from Allington, was told by UK Customs that she should not be allowed to travel with the stamp from Ethos Bar, in Gabriel’s Hill, on her passport.

The 21-year-old had used the passport as a form of ID on a night out in Maidstone, while she was waiting for a new driving licence. It was stamped when she went in.

The incident happened about two years ago but was only brought to her attention when she arrived back in England from a trip to Benidorm. Jenna said: “I was going through customs when the officers said that I should not have been allowed to travel with the stamp because it was classed as a defaced passport.

“I called the passport office and they said the same, and that I had to buy a new one.

“I didn’t really think about it again until lately because I am meant to be going on holiday in September but now I have to pay £80 for a new passport even though I still have five years left on it.

“That is a lot of money for something that I did not have control over.”
Jenna said she hopes her experience will prevent any similar incidents.

She said: “My worry is that if they have done it to me there could be a lot more people out there that they have done it to. It is not right to deface such an important document.

“I am not asking for Ethos to pay for the entire fee, but I think it would be fair to put a contribution towards it.”

The frustrated hairdresser has contacted Ethos in the hope bosses will contribute to the cost, but the bar has changed management since the incident. She is now seeking legal advice.

The KM Group contacted Ethos for a comment but our calls were not returned.