Wetherspoon pub refuses entry to customers wearing poppies

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 09:43 · Archive

Staff at a Wetherspoon pub in Gosport refused entry to a group of six people wearing remembrance poppies, citing a policy against symbols that could be perceived as political.

Staff at The Star in Gosport, Hampshire, refused entry to a group of six people on Sunday afternoon wearing remembrance poppies. Security told the group they could not enter with poppies and asked them to remove the symbols. A manager told them a 'blanket ban' had been put on anything that could be 'perceived as political', adding it was 'fair for everyone'.

The Daily Mail reports that some members of the group were veterans wearing poppies alongside ordinary clothes with no party logos, flags or other political branding. Councillor George Madgwick said the group had been meeting for a drink after campaigning and described their treatment as 'disgusting and shameful'. The manager made a comparison to Pride flags, which Madgwick said was 'an outrageous comparison to make'.

Wetherspoon denied operating a poppy ban, saying additional security measures were in place because of demonstrations in the town. The chain acknowledged that some customers wearing poppies were among those refused entry. GB News reports that Councillor Madgwick said the pub's founder Sir Tim Martin would 'go ballistic' when he found out about the incident.

How it is being reported

• Fury as Wetherspoons BANS veterans from entering if they're wearing a poppy - as Gosport pub tells customers 'it could be political'Members of the group were told to remove their poppies before entering The Star in Gosport, Hampshire, on Sunday afternoon.Daily Mail · 26 Oct, 09:22
• Fury as JD Wetherspoon punters BANNED from entering pub for wearing poppiesPunters appear to have been banned from entering a JD Wetherspoon pub today because they were wearing poppies. Staff refused the group of six people entry, saying the symbol could be "perceived as political". The incident happened this afternoon outside The Star in Gosport, Hampshire. A clip from the incident first reveals a confrontation with security, then what appears to be a manager. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say In the video shared on social media, the bouncer tells the group: "I'm just doing my job." He goes on to say if they were to put their poppy on inside, they would be "asked…GB News · 25 Oct, 18:43

In this story: The Star · Wetherspoon · Gosort · George Madgwick · Tim Martin · Reform UK · Hampshire

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem