Chris Maclean: privacy in a public house

Friday evening two men came in, ordered a beer and asked if Justin had been in.

I was immediately suspicious and asked "Justin who?" They said he lived in a nearby road but I continued to be vague.

I am deeply suspicious of people seeking information about others. The pub is a public place but it is also a place of privacy.

Many years ago I worked in a rural pub. There were few houses. None had numbers. One dark winter's night a chap in a jacket and tie came in and asked me if I knew where Woodbine Cottage was. Innocently I replied that I did know but if he wanted to speak to the owner he was standing by the fireplace with his mates.

He was the bloke with the leather jacket on.

Without hesitation the chap approached my customer and reached into his pocket. The warrant was served. The atmosphere could be cut with a knife.

To this day (and it must have happened 20 years ago) I am aware of the huge embarrassment I brought upon this chap. I have to also add he was kind enough to tell me he was pleased to have received it there for, if his wife had received it at home, his life would not have been worth living.

Ever since then I have been deeply suspicious of people wanting to know about others. I never pass out phone numbers. I never tell people where others live. I act vague and uncommitted. It is not that I wish to defy authority or prevent the course of justice but, frankly, I don't believe my pub is the vehicle through which the authorities should work. So I apologise if I appear to be uncooperative. That isn't my intention.

Earlier a very attractive young lady asked if I had my son's telephone number. He is 23. I told her I didn't. Time will tell if I acted wrongly.