Tube strike: Grill Market café in London apologises for sign 'banning' RMT customers
Cafe has apologised after joke on board sparked outrage on Twitter
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A café in central London has sparked outrage with a sign that ‘banned’ RMT members for entering the premises, but offered a ten per cent discount to all other prospective customers.
The joke posted on the board outside Grill Market read: "NO RMT MEMBERS. 10% off coffee for everyone else" and was widely condemned after being posted on Twitter as the 48-hour tube workers' strike continued.
The Holborn-based cafe was quick to issue an apology on Twitter and stressed the sign was only meant in jest, tweeting: "Again, total apology to anyone offended by the board this morning, was only supposed to be a joke, clearly I got it VERY wrong."
But the apology appeared futile, as many responded by describing the joke as "terrible" and in poor taste. Others lambasted the café for "belittling" the plight of workers striking against plans to close Tube ticket offices.
The manager of Grill Market, who gave his name only as Tom, said the sign was not intended to cause any offence and was simply "a really badly judged joke", which has since been removed from the board.
READ MORE: TUBE STRIKE APRIL 2014: WHICH LINES WILL BE CLOSED?
He told The Independent: "Most people who came into the shop seemed to find it quite funny, but reading back it back I realise how it sounds.
"I wasn't thinking about people losing their jobs, it was just to make people smile who were having a bad day."
But some Twitter uses have criticised people for taking the sign so seriously, with many arguing it is simply a joke and should be treated as such.
"Ignore them, it was both funny and appropriate. Well done" was one response while another said it was "a great shame - the board would have got my business," after it was taken down.
The RMT say the closure of ticket offices will cost hundreds of job losses and threaten safety.
But London Underground (LU) maintains that staff would be better employed on station concourses as only three per cent of tickets are bought at ticket offices.
If the dispute is not resolved, RMT members say they will stage another walkout - this time for 72 hours - from 9pm on Monday 5 May.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments