An Oldham pub has issued a public apology after telling a mum breastfeeding was 'not acceptable' during a busy Friday night. The woman, who claimed she was booted out of the venue with her family and children over the weekend, left a scathing review on Facebook.
Natalie Hetherington-Heywood visited the Angel Inn, in Lees, with her family last Friday evening (August 5), along with two dogs and a baby. She claimed that her party were initially welcomed into the pub, before then being told children and dogs were not allowed in after 8.30pm and asked to leave.
In the review, she said that the customer service was 'shocking' and that they were asked to leave midway through their drinks that they had already been served. The venue quickly replied, confirming that children and dogs are not typically allowed in on Friday evenings, but said the pub allowed them to finish their drinks as they had ordered them before mentioning they were part of the party.
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In its lengthy reply, the pub then said the party 'took advantage' of being allowed to finish their drinks by 'dragging out out for as long as possible'. It also insisted that the group were 'regrettably' served outside allowed hours and that the group 'took advantage' of the lenience of staff.
It went on add: “You also proceeded to breastfeed your baby in a pub at 8.30pm on a Friday night. Customers don’t go out Friday night to see someone breastfeeding their child, that is not acceptable." After speaking with the Manchester Evening News, landlady Kirsty Taylor cleared up that there is 'no problem' with breastfeeding, but that it happened long after children are meant to have left the pub.
The comment received numerous unhappy responses on Facebook, which prompted a lengthy public apology from the popular venue.
The apology, published on Saturday (August 6) wrote: "We would like to publicly apologise for a comment made earlier by myself which I worded wrong and understandably caused offence. Myself and the staff working here have absolutely and rightly so no problem with breastfeeding, and that is not what the issue is about. Rather than responding to the private messages and comments we are receiving I’d like to address the situation publicly.
"A group came to our establishment yesterday evening whilst I wasn’t on the premises and was served by my staff. The situation was not handled in our best interest as regrettably the group was served within hours that we do not allow children or animals on the premises for the safety reasons."
It goes on to say that a large band was due to start as the group came into the pub, and that they were told to leave due to the venue's license, but were unhappy about it and therefore left the negative review.
"The group took advantage of our lenience with regards to our rules by drinking at their leisure and proceeding to play games of pool after being informed again they needed to drink up. Upon reflection, we understand the group should not have been served in the first place which is something we will address with our team," it added.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News , landlady for the Angel Inn, Kirsty Taylor, said: "We don't let children in after 8 and our license runs until 9, but we understand people haven't always finished their drinks for 8pm and we don't want anyone to feel like we are trying to force them out.
"The message was taken completely out of context. We don't have a problem with breastfeeding, and lots of our customers breastfeed at the venue, but not at 8.30pm on a Friday night when children shouldn't be in there anyway.
"I spoke to my staff as soon as I got back to the pub about what happened. When they ordered the drinks, they did not say they had children and dogs with them. It was the time and the place that was the issue, not the breastfeeding."
Kirsty said the pub’s policy is to not allow children after 8pm, with the pub’s licence restrictions not allowing any children after 9pm.
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