A young woman was left outraged after being told to cover up at her local Wetherspoon pub – because she was wearing a sports bra. Georgia Toomey went to meet her boyfriend at The Tollemache Inn in Grantham, Lincolnshire, after finishing a workout at the gym.
But the 23 year old said she was “looked up and down” by a female staff member and told to zip up her top to conceal her gym wear because it was “a family friendly pub”. The cleaner said she and her boyfriend went to the beer garden, planning to order from the app, but left after the same worker kept coming outside to look at them.
Georgia, of Grantham, said: “We walked in and I was wearing a gym set, I thought, ‘we’re only going to Spoon’s, I don’t have to change’. But this woman looked me up and down and said I had to zip my top up. She said it was a family-friendly pub.
“I think it’s ridiculous. It’s only sports wear and you shouldn’t feel like you can’t wear it. I can wear it in the gym, so why can’t I wear it in Wetherspoon?
“She just wanted me to do it up, which I think is stupid. If it was somewhere in London, I would get it – but it’s not, it’s Spoon’s in Grantham.
“You should be able to wear what you want and shouldn’t be sexualised in gym wear. I would get it if it was a lacey bra or something, but it’s not.
“She looked me up and down like a piece of dirt. It makes me feel like I should be covering up, but I shouldn’t be.
“It’s not like I’m big-chested, either – I was showing a bit of cleavage, but that’s it. I’m sure girls have worn much more revealing stuff in there. It’s other people’s problem if they are getting affected by a bit of cleavage.”
After being told to cover up, Georgia said she and her boyfriend went out to the beer garden, where nobody else was sitting. But they opted to leave the pub after growing frustrated when the staff member kept coming out to “check she was covered up”.
Georgia complained to the pub, but said they ‘lied’ by telling her she had been ‘refused service and asked to leave’, which she claims did not happen.
Georgia, who had been wearing Gymshark shorts and sports bra, which cost £38 each, added: “We were sitting outside and were going to order on the app, but the woman from the bar, who was about 40 or 50, kept coming outside and looking. It made me feel really embarrassed and insecure.
“We didn’t feel comfortable, so we left. But the woman wrote and said she threw us out and wasn’t going to serve us, which never happened. When I looked online it said you’re allowed sports wear.”
Georgia took to social media to share her experience and said a man replied saying he and his friends had been in the same pub topless with no issues before.
In an email reply to her, the pub chain said: “Most of our pubs are family environments, so we ask our customers to dress appropriately and in a way which would not cause offence. All customers must be fully clothed throughout their visit.
“The company does not permit the removal of shirts or footwear. In addition, some pubs operate specific dress codes at all or certain times.
“I appreciate that you were not satisfied by the way in which the incident was handled. Having discussed your feedback with the pub’s manager, I understand that you were refused service and were asked to leave.”
However in a statement, the pub backtracked and agreed that Georgia had not been asked to leave and she was ‘very welcome to return’.
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “It’s always a matter of fine judgement for pub managers where sportswear is concerned. In this case, the customer was asked if she would mind zipping up her gym top, to which she kindly agreed. She was not asked to leave and is very welcome to return to the pub in the future.”
