Earlier this afternoon, a group of people were refused service at a Westminster pub, the Greencoat Boy, because they are gay.
It didn’t take long for the news, and a boycott, to spread on Twitter (see #bigotbar and #greencoatboy).
If you feel as strongly about this as a huge number of people clearly do, please email the chain that owns the pub, Punch Taverns:
guestservice[at]punchtaverns.com
Punch Taverns chief executive: giles.thorley[at]punchtaverns.com
You can also register your disgust with Caroline Nodder, editor of industry newspaper The Publican:
carolinen[at]thepublican.com
Here is our letter to Punch Taverns:
Dear Sir/Madam
I am extremely shocked to hear from friends that they have been refused service in one of your pubs, the Greencoat Boy in SW1, on account of being gay. They had booked a room for an LGBT Labour (as in the political party) function and were told by the manager that he would not have taken the booking if he had known they were gay; he then refused to serve them.
This is absolutely atrocious behaviour, for which there is no excuse. This kind of bigotry is totally unacceptable anywhere but in central London it is
astonishing.
You should be aware that a vigorous boycott campaign is already spreading rapidly via Twitter. This boycott will not just be carried out by the gay community but by all reasonable people.
Unless you sack the bigot responsible and make a full apology to the victims, I fear the boycott will spread from one pub to your entire retail operation.
[...] refused to leave the venue and police attended, where a hate crime was reported.TanktheTories have provided contact details for Punch Taverns, who run the venue.Both @johnprescott and @SarahBrownUK tweeted about the event, [...]
@ Tris Good question. A follow up article’s needed. I suspect some wretched Punch Taverns manager was given a bollocking and maybe sent on a “diversity” course. It was great how Twitter led the charge.
Great stuff. Have you had any reaction from these people.
Love the site btw
If reasonable action is not taken by the pub chain–Who,s up for a protest outside the pub
Dennis H
gaai_gcdgh@yahoo.co.uk
No wonder the share price of punch taverns has plummited in the last 3 years.
Full director details can also be found in the companies investor reporting section of their own website.
Also – importantly!
You have the chief exec down as Ian Dyson but on the Punch Taver site it says on the news pages that he doesnt take post until Sept this year. His email addy bounces back so hasnt’t been set up yet. From some digging the actual chief exec is Giles Thorley giles.thorley@punchtaverns.com works and is who you should address emails too – I just have!
Unbelievable…….Punch Taverns have themselves Gay Venues…..ie The Queens Arms Brighton…..how will they explain themselves…what a great advert!!
I hope heads will role! This is appauling but also great publicity for us as the lgbt community in the constant fight for equality!!
The Equality Act 2010
Passed by Labour
Hey, great letter. Just one thing, you forgot to say it was against the law to refuse goods or services based on a persons sexuality.
Keep up the good work though.
Kev