Nothing more was said on the subject, so the family were stunned a few days later when they received a letter permanently banning them from entering the premises. Riding school instructor Mrs Bessant, who insists she didn't swear, said: "I was absolutely flabbergasted. I'm really upset about it because we go there all the time. The drink I wanted was unavailable, so I asked the barman to ask the landlord if they could get some sugar-free lemonade in and for that we have been barred. I got a letter in the post from the landlord saying he didn't appreciate being dictated to."
The family have been regular patrons since they moved to Courtlands, Nutley, five years ago. Mrs Bessant said the pub's landlord Nick Dimopoulos had offered to buy in sugar-free alcopops after she requested them in the past. "It's a very quiet pub, but we have stuck with it through thick and thin because we believe in supporting local businesses," she added.
"We feel like we have been wronged because we have been so loyal to the pub. Very often I recommend to my customers to go there. Now he says he doesn't want to see us in his pub ever again." Mr Dimopoulos said he took the decision based on what bar manager Simon Pearce said had happened when the family dined at The Nutley Arms on August 19. Mr Pearce explained: "It's just the manner in which she commented that we didn't stock it. It was not very polite or family friendly."
17 comments:
I think this shows very poor business sense from the landlord, regardless off the words and tone Mrs Bessant may have used. Makes him look petty and unpleasant, the establishment unwelcoming. The customer isn't always right, but making this an unnecessarily big deal is not smart.
I agree with everything you said, Insolitus. Making mountains into molehills.
I bet they've been wanting to ban them for cumulative rudeness, not just this one incident. This was probably just the proverbial straw. I'd also bet that she's more rude than she lets on and the staff are tired of having to deal with her.
If that was the case, Anonymous, why didn't the landlord say so. He was interviewed for the article after all and had the chance to correct possible false interpretations. If Anonymous is correct, the landlord is even dumber than I thought.
I agree with Anonymous. There's probably a lot more to the story. The landlord probably didn't say more about it to avoid getting sued. It would be a case of "he said - she said" and could rack up a lot of unnecessary costs.
How would the landlord risk getting sued if he revealed he actually had good reasons to ban the family, but not risk getting sued if he let everyone think he banned them on frivolous reasons? I don't get it, care to elaborate, slab99?
Maybe shes rude, maybe the landlords a bastard. Who knows. It's definitely possible that if he were to say anything that could be construed as insulting towards the parents (especially to the media), they could sue (for slander etc). I've heard of it before.
I'm not saying they'd win, but they could sue and take their chances. If they got a sympathetic judge shes be laughing all the way to the bank whether she was wronged or not.
LOL...I meant making mountains out of molehills.
Slander is when you say something that isn't true and can be proven in court. And, in this country, if you lose your case then you have to pay for the other side's counsel.
The landlord said the woman was rude. Would it really make a difference, suing-wise, if he said she's been rude before?
The Nutley Arms is smart by not issuing a statement...these people obviously want to get litigious.
I agree to anonymous says "Slander is when you say something that isn't true and can be proven in court. And, in this country, if you lose your case then you have to pay for the other side's counsel. That's true..
What if a diabetic person asked for diet lemonade, would they get banned to???
I wonder whether this woman was actually banned for her attitude and making an unpleasant scene and not for requesting a sugar-free drink as she claims. Anyone who deals with the public knows that certain people think they can make any amount of fuss simply because they believe they are in the right or to have their personal whims satisfied and their demands met. This includes shouting and swearing and even violence in some cases.
Ok, so i'm a daughter of jenny bessant, and i can tell everyone who is making these comments about my mum, that she didnt start a argument with the landlord. they had just spent £60 on food and drinks for family and a few friends.
before when she was in there, she asked for a diet bacrdi breezer and the next time she was there, they had started stoking them, becuase she had asked for them. so she thought it would be ok just to ask nicely for some diet lemonade.
the landlord was out of order.
I know we have been very loyal customers of the nutley arms having regular meals and drinks there. We have used the pub because it is our local and we as a family try to support local business as we mr and mrs Bessant run our own businesses. Even when the pub closed and reopened as a "cafe" we would use it to have an early Saturday lunch, even then the opening times were irregular. Then when it opened as a "bistro" we would have meal on a Friday or Saturday evening. In the past mrs Bessant has asked the landlord nik if he could stock diet alco pops he did and made a point of asking every time we went ,if mrs Bessant wanted one. At no point was there any raised voices in fact the bar staff in question served the meal and asked wether the meal was ok. I think if we had been out of order he would not have served us?
I know for a fact that other people have been barred from the nutley arms for sending back food which still frozen in the middle . Other people have been afraid to send back mouldy food.
The customer is always right ?
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