Hotel bans men from wearing Lycra cycling shorts because of 'unsightly bulges'
'There are customers having lunch who probably don’t want to see that kind of thing'
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 hotel in New Zealand has banned breakfast and lunch guests from wearing Lycra cycling shorts, as the “bulges on show” are putting off other diners.
Staff at the Plough Hotel in Rangiora, near Christchurch, have received “several complaints” about cyclists turning up after a lengthy ride and not bothering to change out of their tight sportswear.
Luke Grice, part-owner of the hotel, told The Independent: “We’ve had a few people coming in here after long bike rides, a bit sweaty and stinky.”
“There are customers having lunch who probably don’t want to see that kind of thing. So we thought we’d help them out, and keep it classy.”
Grice and his colleague Mike Saunders have put up a sign outside which reads, “The bicycle is a beautiful object but they should never have invented Lycra! No Lycra shorts allowed please”.
Average temperatures in Rangiora in April are around 12 degrees, but that doesn’t stop local cycling enthusiasts donning the stretchy fabric, which is known for being breathable but not particularly flattering.
Mr Grice says that so far the backlash has not been too great, and “many cyclists have been taking pictures of the sign.”
But the hotel team are well prepared should any cycling enthusiasts show their wrath.
“If there's hordes of cyclists outside threatening to bash us with their bike pumps we can always barricade ourselves in, we've got a bit of food and drink here so we should be able to outlast them,” Mr Saunders told stuff.co.nz.
The number of active cyclists in the UK has increased by more than 100,000 since 2012, according to a Sport England survey.
Let’s just hope they are considerate of those around them with their dress choices.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments