A JDW pub in Chatham, Kent was slammed on social media for asking customers wearing tracksuit bottoms and hats to leave.
The Thomas Waghorn, which opened on 19 July last year, has verified on Facebook that it has a dress code. However, at the time of writing, JD Wetherspoon had not been able to verify exactly what the dress code is.
One Facebook user posted on the pub's Facebook page: “Just been asked to leave because of my jogging bottoms even though there are other clients walking around freely in jogging shorts. I was in the place two hours before door staff actually came on duty. I was happily spending money there and enjoying myself with a couple of friends causing no problems at all. I will be making a complaint to head office tomorrow. Not happy at all.”
The pub responded and said: “Unfortunately, we do have a dress code, which not everyone agrees with. I’m sorry this upset your night out.”
Another customer described their visit to the pub as "appalling" and said: "I shall not visit this pub again, for I shall never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."
Disgusting ruling
A different user was also upset about the venue's dress code and said on the social media: “I think it’s disgusting that we have just been rejected from Wetherspoon cos my partner was in tracksuit bottoms at lunchtime. Granted you have dress codes I could understand in the evening but at lunchtime?
“Surely you must get people who just want to go for a social drink without having to worry about what you’re wearing in the middle of the day! Not only that but was made to feel like he had done something very wrong. Certainly lost our custom.”
Stance backed
A spokesperson from JD Wetherspoon said: “If the manager wishes to do this, then we will back his stance.”
On the pubco's website, it states customers are requested to remain fully clothed, including shoes and it also said: "In addition, some pubs do operate a specific dress code at all or [at] certain times."
It advises speaking directly to the management team of the specific pub a customer wants to visit.