Punch Taverns are homophobic - Official ! (Allegedly!)

[ROBCamra]

The pub is a short walk from my office and I have been there several times without finding the place in any way discriminatory. An isolated incident involving one idiot me thinks.

It used to be a short walk from my office as well. I never had a problem with the place except that it was always full of braying idiots in suits.

Unlike myself of course, as I don't actually bray.

[RogerB]

The only issue I have with the place is that they always proudly announce that the likes of Courage Best or Bombardier is their upcoming guest beer.

[arwkrite]

Gays and Lesbians are in every walk of life and thinking about it I surprised myself at how many are in the circle of people I consider friends.
I carry a black shoulderbag so I can carry a camera, a mini set of Nikon Binos, a Crossword solver pens,pencils bus timetables and a note book.Try carrying that lot about your person you feel overloaded or your trousers fall down with the combined weight.
Just because of the bag I have been mistaken for being gay. Not by straights, who studiously ignore the bag but by Gays. One Gay got really funny about it until I threatened to empty his drink over him.He did not believe it when I denied being Gay and took it personal. The rest have been politeness itself on me telling them I am straight and may be asking them if their mother is available.
As I have mentioned before , my Dad was racist, homophobic and although an ex WW2 soldier in the British Army I am sure he would have been happier fighting for the other side.He had not a good word for anyone..not even the next door neighbor. I am sure his attitude has given me a live and let live outlook to how people live their lives.
The peice in the Guardian makes little sense to me.The words have far to many syllables and I don't remember them being in any of the I Spy , LadyBird or Ian Allen Locomotive books that comprised my school reading.

[Andy Ven]

The pub is a short walk from my office .

It used to be a short walk from my office as well.

Civil servant by any chance?

[Andy Ven]

I saw the review posted on PG yesterday and, while the author was quite rightly vexed (if it is all true) I can understand why the post has now been removed.

I see that BitE is hosting a debate on the issue where there should be just pub reviews.

Extra diversity training for the pub staff....

[danbert]

The pub is a short walk from my office and I have been there several times without finding the place in any way discriminatory. An isolated incident involving one idiot me thinks.

It used to be a short walk from my office as well. I never had a problem with the place except that it was always full of braying idiots in suits.

And for the hat-trick, I also used to work very close to it! Always did a good trade at lunch (especially Fridays) and early evening but then numbers rapidly dropped off. Didn't stop us having a few extended sessions until last orders though.

[hopwas]

II see that BitE is hosting a debate on the issue where there should be just pub reviews.

Have I missed anything? Seems there is no forum on BITE anymore unless my eyes playing tricks on me..

[Conrad]

I saw the review posted on PG yesterday and, while the author was quite rightly vexed (if it is all true) I can understand why the post has now been removed.

I see that BitE is hosting a debate on the issue where there should be just pub reviews.

Extra diversity training for the pub staff....

Yeah we left it there a day to allow us to chat about it, the comment itself was fine, but it was all hearsay rather than any personal experience, so we went with your take that it is supposed to be reviews, not they are reported to have done so and so. We may actually have allowed a link to a news article (not quite sure about that), but comments and discussion are best kept to the forum.

I am also personally a little bothered that this is another case of trial by press, I am in the bizarre position of actually feeling a little sorry for Punch Taverns, which is part of why I actually did find the original thread title quite funny rather than at all serious.

Have I missed anything? Seems there is no forum on BITE anymore unless my eyes playing tricks on me..

The forum went a week or two ago, but the discussion is happening on the pubs review page.

[hopwas]

The forum went a week or two ago, but the discussion is happening on the pubs review page.

Blimey! Has something happened in dark side? I'll admit I have not been catching up news as I would have liked.

[ROBCamra]

Civil servant by any chance?

No, external agency. I was however working within the civil service initially for Criminal Justice IT (CJIT) and latterly for OCJR (Office for Criminal Justice Reform) at the Home Office.

This meant that if I wasn't at the Home Office (two days per fortnight) I was visiting a Police HQ, CPS HQ, Crown Court, Youth Offending Team etc around the North and the Midlands.

Hence my familiarity with lots of pubs in lots of different places.

You need a lot of beer to work with the Civil Service on a regular basis.