Wetherspoon patrons have expressed their dissatisfaction after the pub chain prohibited customers from drinking at the bar. The policy, implemented by some establishments as a means to streamline service, has been met with criticism from certain clientele.
At The Roebuck in Rayleigh, Essex, a notice at the bar reads “No drinking at the bar” and “Once served, we kindly request that you move away from the bar area.”
Local retiree Alf Spencer, 71, lamented to The Sun: “I used to stand up at the bar but we’re told not to now.” He added, “It’s always been a nice way to enjoy a pint and chat to the bar staff and the other locals. But I can see why they do it.”
This development follows another contentious decision to establish queues at the bar for ordering, moving away from the traditional jostling and eye-contact method long employed by pub-goers. Despite the uproar, the pub defends its decision, stating it is not related to health and safety concerns, reports the Express.
The manager retorted, “At Christmas there were 500 people here.” They explained: “We need people to move from the bar when it’s that busy. It’s not health and safety. This is for service. It is an organisational thing.”
In response to the negative feedback regarding the new rule, the manager stated, “It doesn’t really matter if some people are unhappy about it. We have a zero-tolerance policy for abuse in our pub.”
However, not everyone is upset by the change. Micky Graham, a 64 year old scaffolder, told The Sun about the evolving pub culture, saying: “The real problem is, like any good English person, they see people in front of a bar and they get in line patiently.”
He elaborated on the confusion this causes: “The issue is it gets confusing for people. It gets very busy here. And if there is a group of people just standing there at the bar.”
He voiced his nostalgia, adding: “It’s a problem. We used to come here and stand at the bar, but it’s a food place now. It’s not like it was back in the day.” Resigned to change yet acknowledging resistance, he concluded: “People come for dinner. But there’ll always be people who don’t like it.”
Some pubs in the chain have banned customers from standing in the bar area
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