Can you sue a pub landlord for slander

cryptocurrency

Went into a pub today, one I have only been in few times before in two years and I remembered both dates a durations and was with my other half and child.
I don’t go there as I have to drive and it’s out of my way. Today I called in and ordered a glass of Guinness only to be refused and told I was in there a few months ago with another guy and was causing a fight. This surprised me as it’s not something I’ve ever done or been accused of, infact most people would laugh at that idea of me. I said to the bar man you have made a mistake, 100% there is no chance of this. He said there is CCTV footage of this incident and the landlord had it and said I was not to be served. I said what time was the landlord in..he said 7.30. I come back at 7.30, bar man said 8..waited till 8 till the landlord arrived. I asked the landlord for a word and explained the situation and he said that his barman said it was me and he will back his staff. I informed him I am certain it wasn’t me as I have never been in the place with friends or a friend and just a few flying visits with family when we pop into the veg shop next door. He said there was no CCTV and repeated he will back his staff. I said ask all your staff as they are the ones I have dealt with and he said he will come back to me. He then said he has a right to do what he likes and I will have to put up with it. I said I would speak with a solicitor and he just laughed saying “I’m insured” ..I sense this was just a chip at my UK accent.
Now that this is clearly a mix up and he hasn’t an ounce of proof to his or his staffs claims is this slander or defamation of character if they still stick to this wild claim?
I’m happy to consider contacting a solicitor as I can’t believe we live in a world where people can publicly point and people and make wild unsubstantiated claims about them.

M5

Go to another bar, move on, everyone lives happily ever after!

TheChizler

People have sued for less: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057839752

amcalester

This is why bar staff should never explain why they are refusing service.

Sorry, I can’t serve you.

cryptocurrency

So you are saying that he has the right to point of people and say what he likes about them and people have to suck it up. Nice place we live.

freshpopcorn

I always get worried about somebody when I hear them say ''Can I sue?''

cryptocurrency

TheChizler wrote: »

People have sued for less: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057839752

I think my situation is far worse then that.

Jack Kanoff

Maybe OP has one of those faces...could turn the Guinness sour... landlord can't have that

TheChizler

cryptocurrency wrote: »

So you are saying that he has the right to point of people and say what he likes about them and people have to suck it up. Nice place we live.

Who said that?

cryptocurrency

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I always get worried about somebody when I hear them say ''Can I sue?''

An acknowledgement after he speaks to his other staff that it was just some confusion and it would be the end of it from me.

harry Bailey esq

cryptocurrency wrote: »

Went into a pub today, one I have only been in few times before in two years and I remembered both dates a durations and was with my other half and child.
I don’t go there as I have to drive and it’s out of my way. Today I called in and ordered a glass of Guinness only to be refused and told I was in there a few months ago with another guy and was causing a fight. This surprised me as it’s not something I’ve ever done or been accused of, infact most people would laugh at that idea of me. I said to the bar man you have made a mistake, 100% there is no chance of this. He said there is CCTV footage of this incident and the landlord had it and said I was not to be served. I said what time was the landlord in..he said 7.30. I come back at 7.30, bar man said 8..waited till 8 till the landlord arrived. I asked the landlord for a word and explained the situation and he said that his barman said it was me and he will back his staff. I informed him I am certain it wasn’t me as I have never been in the place with friends or a friend and just a few flying visits with family when we pop into the veg shop next door. He said there was no CCTV and repeated he will back his staff. I said ask all your staff as they are the ones I have dealt with and he said he will come back to me. He then said he has a right to do what he likes and I will have to put up with it. I said I would speak with a solicitor and he just laughed saying “I’m insured” ..I sense this was just a chip at my UK accent.
Now that this is clearly a mix up and he hasn’t an ounce of proof to his or his staffs claims is this slander or defamation of character if they still stick to this wild claim?
I’m happy to consider contacting a solicitor as I can’t believe we live in a world where people can publicly point and people and make wild unsubstantiated claims about them.

I feel for ya guy, but asking how much a pint of Heineken costs in bitcoin probably raised a few red flags.

cryptocurrency

TheChizler wrote: »

Who said that?

M5, effectively

wexie

cryptocurrency wrote: »

An acknowledgement after he speaks to his other staff that it was just some confusion and it would be the end of it from me.

But why?

He's hardly taking out adds in the local newspaper with your picture that say 'this guy is a trouble maker and is barred from my pub'?

By your own admission you very rarely go in there? So why bother?

The Backwards Man

Doesn't seem like any confusion from here, they say you're barred, you say you're not. You drink somewhere else, it's their loss (or not).

Simple

tomofson

I'm sure you could make a case if you are a member of a certain minority group, other wise probably not.

cryptocurrency

tomofson wrote: »

I'm sure you could make a case if you where a member of a certain minority group, other wise probably not.

Is sectarianism not a thing no or do you say it just has to be race? Plenty salt of the earth bar crawlers have a deep seated hatred of anyone with a southern English accent

ShooterSF

Was going to mention the counterfeit 10 euro case above if it hadn't been mentioned. Its an example of why we are told to pull people aside privately if we're going to refuse them in our bar.

Op probably depends how you were refused. If they defame your character in front of others you might have a case.

Edit also that you were here before trouble excuse is one we are told to use to refuse undesirables all the time. So the bartender for whatever reason just probably didn't want to serve you.

Hitman3000

So your word against that of the Landlord and his staff, how do you see that working out buddy? Life's to short move on.

bobmalooka

cryptocurrency wrote: »

Is sectarianism not a thing no or do you say it just has to be race? Plenty salt of the earth bar crawlers have a deep seated hatred of anyone with a southern English accent

How would he know what religion you follow?

Hitman3000

cryptocurrency wrote:

Is sectarianism not a thing no or do you say it just has to be race? Plenty salt of the earth bar crawlers have a deep seated hatred of anyone with a southern English accent

Now I understand why they don't want your business.

amcalester

Did any third party hear the conversation?

If not then you’ve no claim.

Even if someone did that doesn’t mean you have a claim.

cryptocurrency

Hitman3000 wrote: »

So your word against that of the Landlord and his staff, how do you see that working out buddy? Life's to short move on.

I don’t accept that the landlord and his staff are above the law and can just make stuff up about people. As I know they are full of it I am happy to up it to any level they like. I am even happy to publicly call them out on it. They have nothing ...name a date and there is a 90% I was not even in Ireland and can prove it.

cryptocurrency

amcalester wrote: »

Did any third party hear the conversation?

If not then you’ve no claim.

Even if someone did that doesn’t mean you have a claim.

About ten in the bar would have heard the conversation and my watch recorded it all.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Hitman3000 wrote: »

So your word against that of the Landlord and his staff, how do you see that working out buddy? Life's to short move on.

The whole “move on” nonsense is the catchcry of the wimp.

I don’t if this is slander or not but “moving on” from personal attacks is not what you do.

amcalester

cryptocurrency wrote: »

About ten in the bar would have heard the conversation and my watch recorded it all.

And what do you want to get out of this?

tomofson

cryptocurrency wrote: »

Is sectarianism not a thing no or do you say it just has to be race? Plenty salt of the earth bar crawlers have a deep seated hatred of anyone with a southern English accent

I was referring to a certain well known group of people who have a habit of suing anyone and everyone over perceived insults.

cryptocurrency

amcalester wrote: »

And what do you want to get out of this?

An acknowledgment it wasn’t me.

tomofson

cryptocurrency wrote: »

An acknowledgment it wasn’t me.

I'm sure you could get that without going through the process of suing someone.

SCOOP 64

tomofson wrote: »

I'm sure you could make a case if you where a member of a certain minority group, other wise probably not.

Op from UK so might have a case

Hitman3000

cryptocurrency wrote:

I don’t accept that the landlord and his staff are above the law and can just make stuff up about people. As I know they are full of it I am happy to up it to any level they like. I am even happy to publicly call them out on it. They have nothing ...name a date and there is a 90% I was not even in Ireland and can prove it.

Go on so slick, keep us updated.

wexie

cryptocurrency wrote: »

An acknowledgment it wasn’t me.

Ah... the Shaggy Defence

Franz Von Peppercorn

cryptocurrency wrote: »

About ten in the bar would have heard the conversation and my watch recorded it all.

I think you can legally record your own conversations in Ireland. In which case you can probably take a case for slander. The barman can refuse you for no reason but he can’t accuse you of a fight you didn’t participate in.

Hitman3000

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

I don’t if this is slander or not but “moving on†from personal attacks is not what you do.

Fair play you are as sensitive as the OP maybe you two should meet up for a pint. I'd say it would be great craic.

amcalester

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Fair play you are as sensitive as the OP maybe you two should meet up for a pint. I'd say it would be great craic.

I know a pub they can go to...oh wait...

Franz Von Peppercorn

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Fair play you are as sensitive as the OP maybe you two should meet up for a pint. I'd say it would be great craic.

Sorry mate, I’m not a wimp. A wimp would take slander on the chin. Like a wimp. A wimpy wimp who knows his place.

Uncharted

Cool story........ just didn't happen though IMO.

cryptocurrency

tomofson wrote: »

I'm sure you could get that without going through the process of suing someone.

He has a choice ..he said he is gonna speak with his other staff and to call him in a few days. He either doubles down to bar his barman no matter what or he takes the route of saying it may be mistaken identity it. His barman went as red as a beetroot when I challenged him and he heard me speak but was committed then.

cryptocurrency

Uncharted wrote: »

Cool story........ just didn't happen though IMO.

Are you one of the these types who things this sort of stuff only happens to Irish in the UK. I’ve some news for you pal, it’s far more common here.

namloc1980

There was a case on here recently of someone who sued successfully when they picked something up off a shelf in a shop and the shop worker asked if they had paid for it. Turned out the customer had come in with something bought in another shop and plonked it on a shelf in the next shop. They successfully sued for defamation. Based on that and the tenner example you'd have no bother getting a few bob compo.

Franz Von Peppercorn

cryptocurrency wrote: »

Are you one of the these types who things this sort of stuff only happens to Irish in the UK. I’ve some news for you pal, it’s far more common here.

I don’t get why you are assuming anti English prejudice rather than anything else, though.

I assume you are down the country, right?

Hitman3000

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

Sorry mate, I’m not a wimp. A wimp would take slander on the chin. Like a wimp. A wimpy wimp who knows his place.

Don't need to be a wimp to realise life is too short for b.s. and drama unless of course that's what floats your boat.

cryptocurrency

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

I don’t get why you are assuming anti English prejudice rather than anything else, though.

I assume you are down the country, right?

Dublin west. I presume it as it’s there. I find it grand down the country actually as most areas have many people with uk accents who are products of migration from the area of their parents. Seems far less so in Dublin.

Franz Von Peppercorn

namloc1980 wrote: »

There was a case on here recently of someone who sued successfully when they picked something up off a shelf in a shop and the shop worker asked if they had paid for it. Turned out the customer had come in with something bought in another shop and plonked it on a shelf in the next shop. They successfully sued for defamation. Based on that and the tenner example you'd have no bother getting a few bob compo.

That decision by the court was ludicrous.

However a member staff who accuses someone publicly of bad behaviour is in trouble. There are ways to ban somebody with out dragging their name into disrepute

enricoh

cryptocurrency wrote: »

About ten in the bar would have heard the conversation and my watch recorded it all.

Your watch recorded it all, says it all really. What fun times we live in!

cryptocurrency

enricoh wrote: »

Your watch recorded it all, says it all really. What fun times we live in!

It’s an app I have on the watch. I can just record the same as a phone on it. The other barman knows I’m easy going as we talked about me paying using a crypto linked debit card and also using the android pay on my watch to tap for payments.

kneemos

Says he has insurance and is obviously not bothered so sue his ass.

Mrs OBumble

So all the LL has to do is say "sorry, I've checked with the staff, we were mistaken, it wasn't you who caused trouble" - and you'll be happy?

He will then likely say "But we still don't want to serve you, 'cos you're fat / ugly / dress funny / <<insert your choice of anything except the Big Nine>> - so please leave and don't come back."

Will that make you feel better?

wexie

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So all the LL has to do is say "sorry, I've checked with the staff, we were mistaken, it wasn't you who caused trouble" - and you'll be happy?

He will then likely say "But we still don't want to serve you, 'cos you're fat / ugly / dress funny / <<insert your choice of anything except the Big Nine>> - so please leave and don't come back."

Will that make you feel better?

Could a pub landlord just turn around and say 'we're not serving you cause I think you're a bellend?'

Not accusing anyone of bad behaviour, no discrimination according to the Big Nine, just an opinion like?

cryptocurrency

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So all the LL has to do is say "sorry, I've checked with the staff, we were mistaken, it wasn't you who caused trouble" - and you'll be happy?

He will then likely say "But we still don't want to serve you, 'cos you're fat / ugly / dress funny / <<insert your choice of anything except the Big Nine>> - so please leave and don't come back."

Will that make you feel better?

No. If he said the first bit then fine and then I’d not go in there again but to be barred from a place based on pure nonsense or prejudice I will not accept.

cryptocurrency

wexie wrote: »

Could a pub landlord just turn around and say 'we're not serving you cause I think you're a bellend?'

Not accusing anyone of bad behaviour, no discrimination according to the Big Nine, just an opinion like?

I won’t go in there again but if he wants to ban people because of his chip then surely it is him that is the bellend.

weldoninhio

wexie wrote: »

Could a pub landlord just turn around and say 'we're not serving you cause I think you're a bellend?'

Not accusing anyone of bad behaviour, no discrimination according to the Big Nine, just an opinion like?

Yep, and I’ve heard of a landlord who might just be using that excuse soon.