Reply from Giles Thorley, CEO of Punch Taverns, re #Greencoatboy

This just popped into my inbox.

Pretty much word for word the same as the statement on their website, but you have to give them credit for trying. Pretty much word for word, but not exactly - for example the e-mail doesn't mention the deputy manager at all.

Mistakes happen in every company, unacceptable mistakes - and what happened on Saturday night was completely avoidable. There are no excuses. Punch Taverns have recognised that and at least they are trying to make amends. Certainly choice was not part of the equation. Here's the e-mail:

Dear Ms Lindsay

Thank you for your email regarding the incident at the Greencoat Boy on Saturday night.

I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that Punch Taverns seeks to provide open and welcoming venues to everyone. We are shocked and saddened that the Labour LGBT did not experience this at The Greencoat Boy and have apologised unreservedly.

Across our estate, diversity and inclusion are a core part of our ethics and are clearly referenced in our recruitment process, our equal opportunities policy and training. We would like to stress that this is an isolated incident; we have a strong track record on equal opportunities and do not tolerate homophobia in our pubs, whether from guests to other guests, or involving our employees.

We are currently conducting a full investigation of the incident and are cooperating with the police. We have also arranged to meet with members of the LGBT Labour group this week to discuss how we can work together to further improve our policies and procedures.

In addition, we have contacted all of our general managers and pub teams to remind them of our equal opportunity policy and our no tolerance approach to discrimination. We will also seek to work with external partners to further enhance our training to ensure that inclusion remains at the heart of it.

Please be assured that we take this incident seriously and we remain committed to ensuring that all of our guests are welcome at our pubs.

Regards,

Giles Thorley

CEO

Let's hope that this incident is entirely isolated. The outraged Twitterstorm has shown how effectively and quickly information can be spread across the internet and how people can be engaged and united on a particular cause. Commercial organisations should take note.

Punch Taverns apologise to LGBT Labour over #Greencoatboy banning

Well, I guess this is something from Punch Taverns, owners of the Greencoat Boy pub in Westminster where LGBT Labour were refused service on Saturday night in what has to be one of the stupidest and most ignorant blunders by a pub manager ever.

This is the full statement from their website:

"Punch Taverns seeks to provide open and welcoming venues to everyone. We are shocked and saddened that the Labour LGBT did not experience this at The Greencoat Boy last night and apologise unreservedly.

"Across our estate, diversity and inclusion are a core part of our ethics and are clearly referenced in our recruitment process, our equal opportunities policy and training. We would like to stress that this is an isolated incident; we have a good track record on equal opportunities and we do not tolerate homophobia in our pubs, whether from guests to other guests, or involving our employees.

"We are currently conducting a full investigation of the incident and the Deputy General Manager will not be on site until the investigation is concluded. We are co-operating fully with the police and plan to meet with the LGBT Labour Group early next week to discuss how we can work together to further improve our policies and procedures.

In addition, we have this morning contacted all of our general managers and pub teams to remind them of our equal opportunity policy and will seek to work with external partners to further enhance our training to ensure that inclusion remains at the heart of it."

This is a well worded statement, I think, which aims to point out that diversity is at the core of their values and not something they do simply because they are required to by law. It's good that LGBT Labour are going to meet with senior managers next week.

I can't quite get my head round what the manager thought he was doing on Saturday night. I mean, turning away the LGBT Group from a major political party. Did he think they were just going to meekly go away and not tell anybody about it? The story spread across Twitter really quickly and tweeters from every political party and none expressed their anger and disbelief at what had happened.

I suppose this incident shows that, unfortunately, homophobia is alive and well in this country and having experienced it at first hand, I hope that LGBT Labour will reconsider some of the poisonous tweets from Labour members directed at David Laws last weekend. Ben Bradsahaw, in particular, ought to be ashamed of himself for this tweet. Labour did not create a discrimination-free utopia while in office, regardless of what they think, and I'm still angry at the lack of understanding they showed David.

Sure, the man himself has realised that he actually had nothing to worry about, having received nothing but support from the very people he feared would reject him. Having said that, not every story has this sort of happy ending. Just amongst my friends, I know a few people who have had a really hard time with their families and have been terribly hurt as a consequence.

At least in this instance, Punch Taverns have done the right thing. They took more time than they perhaps should but they've taken action. Let's hope that they have a successful meeting with LGBT Labour this week.

So what should happen to the manager of the #Greencoatboy?

When we came in last night from Anna's birthday dinner last night, I saw that Twitter was awash with comments featuring #bigotbar. It didn't take me long to discover that LGBT Labour had booked the place to hold a function but when they got there, they were apparently told by the manager that had he known that they were an LGBT group h e wuold never have taken the booking and refused them service.

That seems to be a clear breach of the law. Look what the Equality Act (Sexual Regulations) 2007 says:

(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a person (“A”) discriminates against another (“B”) if, on grounds of the sexual orientation of B or any other person except A, A treats B less favourably than he treats or would treat others (in cases where there is no material difference in the relevant circumstances).

It appears to me to be an open and shut case of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation to me, not that I'm a lawyer, of course.

The people concerned from LGBT Labour have rightly reported this breach of the law to the Police and this is by far the least of the problems that the pub's owners Punch Taverns in the morning. Their Chief Executive Giles Thorley, who actually leaves at the end of this month, will have a fairly full inbox (askgiles@punchtaverns.com in case you're wondering), including this from me:

Dear Mr Thorley

I’m writing to express my horror at hearing that the LGBT Labour group were denied service at your Greencoat Boy pub in Westminster on the grounds of their sexuality.

This is a clear contravention of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation Regulations) 2007 which clearly state that:

“1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a person (“A”) discriminates against another (“B”) if, on grounds of the sexual orientation of B or any other person except A, A treats B less favourably than he treats or would treat others (in cases where there is no material difference in the relevant circumstances).”

I will not use any Punch Taverns facilities unless or until I can see that you are taking action to deal with this breach of the law, are working as an organisation to ensure that all of your employees know their legal obligations and that you will not under any circumstances tolerate such homophobic discrimination in the future. A public apology to the group concerned would be an essential part of that.

I look forward to hearing from you with details of your response to this shameful incident.

Yours sincerely

Caron Lindsay

Also note that Mr Thorley is leaving at the end of this month and his place is being taken by Ian Dyson who formerly worked at Marks and Spencer. If the current regime fails to deliver an acceptable response, the new one might.

So what should Punch do?

In my view they have now had plenty of time to issue the required grovelling apology to LGBT Labour, weekend or not, but that is essential.

They need to show that they take this seriously and will ensure that nothing like this happens again.

What about the manager whose comments sparked the incident, though? Should he simply be sacked? I'm not so sure. He needs to abide by the law in future, but I'm not sure sacking him straight away would help and it would only have the effect of entrenching his own views.

I'd really love to have half an hour with him, just to see if I can find out where his prejudice came from. We know there is far too much homphobia out there - I've written about it often enough in this blog and like all prejudices, it will have its roots in irrational fear or lack of knowledge. Maybe if someone had a chat with this man in a non threatening environment, his views could be challenged and he might change his mind. Is that not worth a try?