Royal Harwich Yacht Club

Case Summary

The claimants were not unfairly dismissed or directly discriminated against on the basis of their races by the respondent.

The tribunal conducted a full hearing and found that the respondent's dismissal of the claimants was procedurally and substantively fair, and that the claimants failed to establish that they were directly discriminated against on the basis of race.

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• •key legal issues/arguments

Case Numbers: 3300596/2024; 3300597/2024; 3300598/2024 1 EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS Claimants:(1) Mr M Coltofean (2) Ms M Banasiak (3) Ms E Dos Santos Rocha Respondent: Royal Harwich Yacht Club Heard at: Norwich (In Person) On: 15 to 22 September 2025; and 8 December 2025 Before: Employment Judge R Wood; Ms A Buck; Ms A Bray Appearances For the Claimants: All Claimant’s represented by the First Claimant For the Respondent: Mr Rupert Myers (Counsel) RESERVED JUDGMENT 1. The Claimants were not unfairly dismissed by the respondent. 2. The claimants were not directly discriminated against on the basis of their races by the respondent. DECISION Claims and Issues 1. Page numbering referred to in square brackets in these reasons are to pages in the main hearing bundle, unless otherwise stated. 2. This is a claim which involves allegations of direct race discrimination, and unfair dismissal. 3. The respondent (hereinafter referred to as the club) is a company which has responsibility for running a members only yacht club. It is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the country dating back to its formation in 1843. The club is located in its own premises overlooking the River Orwell at Woolverstone, Case Numbers: 3300596/2024; 3300597/2024; 3300598/2024 2 Suffolk. Currently the club has approximately 650 members. There are catering and bar services on the premises. 4. Mr Marian Coltofean (300596/2024), the first claimant (hereinafter referred to as C1) is Romanian and worked for the club from 26 April 2021 until the termination of his employment on 8 November 2023. He was bar and catering manager, and the line manager of C2 and C3, amongst others. 5. Ms Monika Banasiak (3300597/2024) th…