Gay men accuse Wetherspoon of homophobic discrimination after being asked to ‘prove’ that they lived together

‘It made us feel like second class citizens’

A Wetherspoon pub in Holborn, London (James Veysey/Rex Features)

Two single gay men who formed a Covid-19 bubble have accused staff at a Wetherspoon pub of homophobic discrimination after they were asked to “prove” that they lived together.

The men, who are in their fifties and asked not to be named, claimed they were given “the third degree” by door staff at the Green Ginger pub in Torquay and that same-sex couples were not subject to the same treatment.

The pair arrived at the pub on Friday 4 December.

“We arrived at the door as a couple were just entering,” one told DevonLive.

“As we approached, a manager stopped us and told us that we needed to prove that we lived together in order to conform with new regulations.

"I said that I did not carry such information and the door person agreed that he did not know how anybody could provide proof of that on demand.

“This would indicate that no other customers had been asked that question previously,” he concluded.

The pair gave up and decided to go elsewhere and the man posted about his experience on Facebook.

A friend who later saw the friends eating in a bar nearby sent him a message stating that he had entered the Green Ginger an hour later with a female friend and was invited into the premises without question.

"He also suggested that the management, in asking only male couples for proof of living arrangements, were taking a discriminatory and homophobic approach in selecting customers that they would like to frequent their establishment,” the man said.

“It is also an encroachment on my privacy to require inspection of my living arrangements.”

The pair made a complaint to Wetherspoon, but are yet to receive an apology at the time of writing.

“It made us feel a bit like second class citizens being singled out for the 'third degree' for being a male couple,” one said.

“I feel that the management were thoughtless in discriminating against us and had no clue as to what would constitute proof of cohabiting.”

In a statement to The Independent, Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “Wetherspoon is  aware of  the issues raised by the customers and we will contact them directly to fully understand their concerns.

“It is important to note that Wetherspoon does not operate any entry policies which are discriminatory.”