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AIBU?

Thrown out of the pub last night. Advice please!

234 replies

Askedtoleave · 16/12/2016 10:09

NC. Last night my friend and I met up for a catch up drink at a local pub I frequent every month or so, sometimes for food, sometimes just for drinks. A lot of tables had reserved signs on for diners as is usual. I found a table without a sign and we sat chatting for an hour over a drink.

Suddenly the bar manager came over and had brought plates of food assuming it was ours. I said, "that's not ours, we're not eating tonight". He said, "well get up then cos this food is for people who have reserved the table." I said that the table didn't have a reserved sign and he said, "get up". I told him that he wasn't even sorry. He was so rude and aggressive.

My friend and I got up and went to the bar. At no point did we refuse to leave the table, swear or raise our voices. He then came over and said he couldn't believe we didn't know the table was reserved. My friend told him we didn't want to have any more discussion, we just wanted to order another drink. He then said that he wouldn't serve us and asked us to leave the pub! We were completely shocked and humiliated. I've found the whole thing really upsetting. Two middle aged women thrown out of a busy pub! Most places would apologise for the misunderstanding and buy us a drink on the house!

AIBU to go to the pub today and speak to the landlord? My friends and family all use this pub and I want to give the pub the chance to redeem themselves. If he sides with the bar manager I wouldn't go there again.

Can anyone please advise what my next steps should be?

OP posts:

Report

SausageSoda · 16/12/2016 10:10

Other than what you've already suggested I'm not sure what else you can do. See what the landlord has to say about it.

user1469914265 · 16/12/2016 10:10

I'm guessing this isn't the whole truth.

MaryManchego · 16/12/2016 10:11

You can't really do anything, they have every right to refuse anyone at any time. It does sound like he was a rude pillock though.

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 16/12/2016 10:12

The manager was out of order. I would go and speak to LL and see what they say about it

Askedtoleave · 16/12/2016 10:14

Well it is actually the whole truth which is why I feel he's a bit unhinged and I don't want a confrontation.

OP posts:

honeysucklejasmine · 16/12/2016 10:15

So, who ordered the food? If it was pre ordered why did they let you sit there for an hour before bringing it out? If it wasn't pre ordered then... wtf?

Bluntness100 · 16/12/2016 10:15

Well either he was being stressed and an arse, or you maybe were a little (a lot) more argumentative than you're letting on here. Either way I'd let it go.

youokayhun · 16/12/2016 10:16

Maybe i just love a row but there's no way on earth I'd let it go!

dowhatnow · 16/12/2016 10:19

Talk to the landlord.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 16/12/2016 10:21

What Bluntness said.

Taking the stressed arse option (which is perfectly feasible at this busy time of year, and it sounds like some kind of cock up), I'd leave it and withdraw my custom for a while. If you know him and think you might get some sense on a calmer occasion then a conversation might be worth a try, but I suspect that it would be more likely to stir things up.

Askedtoleave · 16/12/2016 10:22

Yes I can't quite figure out the ordering of the food.

I love sticking up for myself and like to give as good as I get, but on this occasion I can honestly say that I was so shocked that I wasn't rude at all. He didn't want to be challenged, he wasn't going to speak nicely or apologise.

The thing is that I need to go back to the pub a few times over Xmas which is why I want to do something about it.

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 16/12/2016 10:22

If the conversation went exactly as you said it did and if your tone/body language wasn't aggressive or rude, then YANBU.

Although I have to say, it's very strange that he'd throw you out under those circumstances.

YANBU to pop in and have a word with the Landlord.

SirChenjin · 16/12/2016 10:23

Is it a brewery owned pub or a franchise? Could you complain to them or to the owner (if he wasn't the owner?)

sooperdooper · 16/12/2016 10:24

I'd write them a Trip advisor review and never go back, that's ridiculous

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 16/12/2016 10:25

I'd leave it well alone if you need to go back after Christmas. Let it all cool down. They threw you out; they didn't ban you, so just start again next time. I can't see what good will come of going in again, it looks confrontational.

Askedtoleave · 16/12/2016 10:26

I challenged him on the table not being reserved and him not apologising. I was clearly not happy. But was putting my coat on the whole time.

Just didn't expect to be thrown out for that.

OP posts:

Askedtoleave · 16/12/2016 10:27

I guess I don't want to give them my custom again unless I get an apology.

OP posts:

SapphireStrange · 16/12/2016 10:27

Talk to the landlord. Point out that you and yours have been good customers.

The man's behaviour was obviously out of order.

Shutupandsmile · 16/12/2016 10:28

If you have to go back to the pub over Christmas and if you're from a small town and this pub is your local I'd make sure I'd go back and sort it. I'm from a village with one pub and if something like this happened I'd probably want it cleared up asap seeing as many neighbours/ family members drink and eat in it! If the manager is as big of an arse as you've made out, he's more than likely going to give people in the village the wrong end of the story!

Saltedcaramel2016 · 16/12/2016 10:30

Why do people doubt the OP, what has anyone got to gain from lying on an anonymous site??

I think he was really rude and I would put in a complaint to the landlord. If he behaved like that to you he probably has done to others.

Askedtoleave · 16/12/2016 10:34

Thanks for the advice. Shutupandsmile yes it's exactly like that. I'm a bit shocked at how much this has upset me. I guess it's the humiliation and feeling intimidated. All the crazy drunken nights I've spent in pubs over the years and never been thrown out!

OP posts:

shovetheholly · 16/12/2016 10:34

Bloody hell, that is outrageous! Definitely go back and ask to speak to the landlord. You poor thing - it's shocking when someone is deliberately humiliating like that.

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WannaBe · 16/12/2016 10:36

IME there is usually three sides to these situations: the management's side, the customer's side, and the truth which is usually somewhere in the middle.

From my perspective, if the situation really did happen as you said it would then an apology wouldn't cut it. I would be reviewing them on trip advisor and would never darken their door again, even if I had plans to do so - I would be telling those who I had plans with the story and would hope they'd boycott this particular pub as well.

I don't believe though that things happened exactly as you said they did. If they had then there would surely be previous examples of this e.g. On tripadvisor and the place would have a reputation for it. I would think before going back to complain to the landlord, because if you do then the manager is going to put across his side of the story, and there's no way it's going to tally with yours.

PinkiePiesCupcakes · 16/12/2016 10:36

I would also suggest TripAdvisor if you get no joy from the landlord.

Leave a detailed account of what happened.

happychristmaspoobum · 16/12/2016 10:37

How bizarre! So whilst you were standing at the bar, the plates of food were just sitting there on an empty table? Why had they served food when the people weren't even there, it just doesn't make sense!

I would definitely complain - I suspect you will get a big apology.

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