We have touched upon this subject at various times recently but has anyone yet been confronted by someone objecting to you taking photos of a pub?
I was photographing something like my 420th pub on Sunday in Kingswinford. Bearing in mind that a few smokers were sat outside I kept a reasonable distance and photographed the wider building and the pub sign. As I was going back to my car a fairly young chap shouted Oi! and asked why I was photographing his pub (I say 'young' because he looked about 30 and therefore relatively young for a publican). This was my first ever objection.
He came striding across the car park towards me and I was half-bracing myself for a punch on the nose. I have anticipated what I might do in this situation so I had my answer prepared.
I explained that I take photos, as a hobby, for a website called Pubs Galore where people can upload photos and reviews. I showed him my list that I was working through and explained that there was nothing on the site for his pub so I was effectively doing something to put the pub on the map, give it some free advertising and that I was about as dangerous as a train-spotter. Fortunately, he then mellowed and said 'Oh, I'll have a look at that'.
You don't quite know how things might pan out and ensuring my own safety is high on my list of priorities. If he had still objected I would have offered to delete the pictures. I would have given up my memory card only with great reluctance but no way was he getting his hands on my camera.
If I get an uneasy feeling when I arrive on a pub car park I even park near to or facing the exit so that I can get away. I keep a distance and rely on the zoom of my camera to get a decent shot. If I take a photo inside a pub I use my camera phone so that people aren't annoyed by a flash going off.
It's a bit sad that people are so suspicious. Obviously if you write reviews you can do this more discreetly. Accepting that we do this voluntarily, and therefore I see no responsibility on the part of PG to look after us, has anyone else faced a similar situation and what did you do (or even if you've only thought about it what is your contingency plan)?