Pub Door Policy.

Fad

Hi,

query here, not looking for legal advice, but curious about this issue.

Myself and a friend headed down to a local pub (A quiet one where I live), this pub happens to have an "Over 23s" door policy, myself having turned 19 that day and my friend being the same. I understand that I was not compliant with that door policy, but there was no-one on the door enforcing this.

Now I have heard before that a pub doesnt have the right to throw us out (Which they did anyway, us being as sober as a judge, and two fairly quiet guys) using the door policy as a basis, if there was no-one stopping us on the way in. Is that in any way true?

I plan on writing the owner a letter (For other reasons than this, none personal) and if I did have any rights in this situation I'd like to mention them. However if I'm complete misinformed, I wont go there!

Tom Young

This is dealt with on the forum already under a similar title. Use the search function to see if the above is answered. The Equal Status Act is what comes into play legislatively.

Tom

Fad

Tom Young wrote: »

This is dealt with on the forum already under a similar title. Use the search function to see if the above is answered. The Equal Status Act is what comes into play legislatively.

Tom

Thanks for pointing that out to me, search normally gives me slightly less than helpful results, I did find this one. But my question is do they have the right to tell me to get lost once I am inside the premises, as in, do they not have to enforce a door policy on the door?

dats_right

Fad wrote: »

But my question is do they have the right to tell me to get lost once I am inside the premises,

Yes, is the answer. A publican is under no general obligation to serve alcohol to any person and is pretty much free to refuse to do so for any reason whatsoever, subject of course to the equality legislation. The issue of a refusal being either inside or at the door of the premises is of no relevance.

seamus

From what I understand, dats_right hits the nail on the head there. Equality legislation generally relates to service. So even if you gain access under whatever auspices, the publican/barman can still refuse to serve you at the bar provided they're compliant with the equality legislation.
And if you're not getting served at the bar, the pub can ask you to leave because you're taking up space

If they ID you (at the bar), serve you alcohol and then later on remove that service on the basis of age, then you have a case.

I have heard of bars though operating a policy where the bouncer IDs you, but so does the barman and if he doesn't accept your ID, you're out of luck.

Fad

Ok, thanks for the responses.

Mildly frustrated about the whole thing, I had been served in there on several occasions, and just wanted a few quiet drinks, that didnt happen though!!

Anyway, thanks again!