Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Rebecca Koncienzcy & Kirsty Feerick

Wetherspoon staff 'humiliate' four deaf women before chucking them out of pub

Wetherspoon staff 'humiliated' four deaf women before chucking them out of the pub.

The pals were ordered to 'get off the property' after confusion with the bar queuing system.

The ladies explained they were deaf and couldn't lip read because of Covid masks, and claim workers 'become aggressive' with them.

The incident happened on Friday at the Mister Mariner in Wirral, reports The Mirror.

One member of the group, who gave her name as Anita, branded their experience "disgraceful" after being left in tears over the treatment.

The pub chain has apologised but said the incident was down to a "miscommunication".

The 46-year-old said: "I was just so upset. We ended up waiting an hour and a half for our table. It was absolutely disgraceful the way they treated us."

Anita said she and friends Jess and Christina had arrived at the pub at about 11.15am and gave up their table of three seats to two elderly ladies so they could wait for a table of four once fourth group member Jo had arrived.

They said they asked if there was a queuing system, Anita said: "Christina asked do we need to put our names down for a table and was told 'no just wait till one is empty'. We saw other people waiting, there was no queue."

Anita said they waited over 25 minutes and saw people coming and getting tables before them, confused she approached a member of staff.

She said: "I then approached her saying 'we've been waiting 25 minutes and you knew we were next, you told my friend we needed to get back in the queue'.

"She responded wearing a mask. I said 'I am deaf like the other two girls, I can't lipread you.' She pulled mask down with a bad attitude and said 'you were told to stand on the right in the queue'."

But Anita claims this was not communicated properly and when she told the staff member she says they were told to leave.

She said: "She got very aggressive saying loudly, 'you calling me a liar?'

"I said 'well you didn't tell them that, this isn't right, this is deaf discrimination, you knew we were deaf as we were signing to each other, we've been here 30 mins now'.

"She got right in my face and very angry, shouted 'get off this property now'.

"I was totally and utterly humiliated! I got upset. I was in tears, as I felt humiliated. We strongly felt we were discriminated."

JD Wetherspoon refutes claims of discrimination and Anita said the manager did come out and a table was eventually sorted, but only after an hour and a half wait and further confusion. They were also given a discount of £4 each on their food orders.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "Firstly we apologise for the ladies in question for any distress caused.

"We appreciate that they were upset by the incident.

"We totally refute any claims that they were discriminated against.

"There was a miscommunication with the staff member and the staff member understood that the ladies wanted a table in the sun and at the time only tables in the shade were available.

"This led to a long wait for a table for them.

"The manager did speak with them and gave them a discount on their food."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.