The Newshound
Advertisement

'Could be political': Gosport Wetherspoons manager bars customers wearing Remembrance poppies

Published 26 October 2026, 08:42

The manager, wearing a body-worn camera device, speaks to customers at the pub entrance as an England flag is visible among the crowd gathered outside behind him.
The manager, wearing a body-worn camera device, speaks to customers at the pub entrance as an England flag is visible among the crowd gathered outside behind him.

A Wetherspoons manager in Gosport turned away customers wearing Remembrance poppies, calling the restriction a "full blanket" on anything that "could be political."

Footage posted on X by local Reform UK councillor George Madgwick (@georgedmadgwick) shows the manager explaining the rule to people at the pub's entrance.

In his post, Madgwick wrote that the manager "states it's 'Company policy' to not allow anyone in with a Remembrance Poppy on as it 'could be political.'"

The councillor opened his post with: "VETERANS wearing a Poppy are BANNED from from Wetherspoons."

He called Wetherspoons "our nations biggest pub chain" and wrote: "I can't believe what I just heard."

In the video, the manager set out his reasoning.

"It's a full blanket. Any things that could be— could— I'm not saying it is, but could be political," he said.

A man at the door said he wanted "to understand why we're not allowed in with a poppy."

He rejected the manager's explanation: "That isn't political. That's not political."

The manager said the rule covered other symbols too, including Pride badges.

"It's blanket. When that group down there, when they come down, if they've got Pride flag badges, we'll also be turning those away," he said.

He added: "It's just blanket. Sunday, when we come down here, uniform, it's just blanket."

The manager tried to describe the rule's reach as covering "anybody wearing anything that could be perceived as—" but did not finish the sentence.

The manager, standing at the pub doorway beside a high-visibility police officer, tells those at the entrance that the restriction covers anything that "could be political.
The manager, standing at the pub doorway beside a high-visibility police officer, tells those at the entrance that the restriction covers anything that "could be political.

The man kept pressing, pointing to the manager's own words: "Yes, you just said it's a blanket. Today it's a blanket."

"I've got enough to deal with as it is. When they come down with badges, they will also be stopped," the person said.

The same person then ended the conversation: "All right, sorry fellas, but that is it. Yeah, this is the manager and I'm just doing my job."

In another video on social media he the says they can come in if they take off their poppies and put them in their pockets.

A Royal British Legion enamel poppy pin badge of the kind the Gosport Wetherspoons manager said would be turned away under a "full blanket" ban on anything that "could be political.
A Royal British Legion enamel poppy pin badge of the kind the Gosport Wetherspoons manager said would be turned away under a "full blanket" ban on anything that "could be political.

"But don't put it on inside vecause you'll be asked to leave and they won't serve you."

A crowd had gathered on the street outside the pub, according to the footage Madgwick shared.

At least one person in the crowd carried a St George's Cross flag.

A spokesman for the pub chain said: "Wetherspoon has been a long-standing supporter of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, with poppies for sale in our pubs, including the Star. There is no ban on poppies in Wetherspoon pubs.

"However there were some standard security measures in place today, as a result of demonstrations in the town. Unfortunately, some members of the public, including some wearing poppies, did not gain entry to the pub.

"The pub closed to all customers, on advice of the police, at 5pm and remains closed today. We apologise to any regular customers who have been inconvenienced by today’s events and look to forward to welcoming everyone back tomorrow."

The video also shows the manager at a side entrance of the pub with a police officer standing beside him.

The manager tells those at the door that Pride flag badges would face the same restriction, insisting the rule is "fair for everybody, it's blanket, full stop.
The manager tells those at the door that Pride flag badges would face the same restriction, insisting the rule is "fair for everybody, it's blanket, full stop.
Read today's full feed at The Newshound →

On the Newshound now

Loading the live feed…