Diners at a pub less than an hour outside of Bristol were left shocked when a naked man and woman walked into the bar. Customers at The Railway in Burnham-on-Sea were shocked when the pair, who were naturists, walked into the pub on Friday evening (June 2).
The pair - friends Neil Cox and Danielle Quiggan - said they had been enjoying a nude drink in a pub in Bristol just the previous night and claimed no one was bothered by their birthday suits. They also walked through Clifton Downs and the Harbourside with nothing on.
But patrons of the Somerset pub were apparently less open to the friends' pastime. A number of families were reportedly inside the pub at the time. The pair - friends Neil Cox and Danielle Quiggan - were soon seated by staff and enjoyed a meal. But a number of patrons, who claim to be inside the pub at the time Neil and Danielle arrived, took to TripAdvisor with complaints, with many saying they were left speechless. Margaret Lishmund was in the pub when the couple arrived - and quickly decided to find somewhere else for dinner, reports SomersetLive.
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Posting on the review site she wrote: “We visited the pub this evening (Friday) at 6pm to have dinner. Whilst ordering drinks a couple walked up to the bar naked which was a shock for all in the pub.
“We expected the bar man to refuse to serve them. There were several families with children in the pub, including ourselves, therefore it was not appropriate for them to be served. We decided to leave the pub and find somewhere else for dinner in town. Unfortunately another family were not able to as they had already ordered food. If you advertise as a family pub you should maintain these values.
"Locals who frequent the pub apologised to us, but the staff seemed to think this was okay. Very disappointing," she concluded.
Customer Sarah L had taken her parents to the pub on Friday night and said she was "outraged" to see the pair in the bar. Giving the venue a one star rating, she posted: “Appalling. If you want to go to a family pub with average food and staff serving a naked man accompanied by a naked woman then this is for you.
"Took parents. Outraged.”
Another customer posted saying they would not be making a return visit to The Railway. Describing their visit as "shocking", reviewer Euroexp123 said: “We found food and staff pleasant. We went for the second time last night, were shocked to see naked couple arrive and be served.
“We were concerned as there were families and young children there. I heard one customer mention this to the staff. As other people have said, staff seemed unconcerned. We will not be going again.”
Neil said he contacted the pub, which describes itself as a "family friendly" venue, ahead of their visit to inform staff they were naturists. Staff say they researched the rules on naturism and accepted the booking, describing it as a 'learning experience'. Neil, 34, has been a naturist for several years and lives in Cheshire.
The pair had been in a pub in Bristol on Thursday, enjoying a naked drink and walking the Clifton Downs and harbourside. Neil and Danielle, 35, were heading for a weekend break in Cornwall when they stopped off in Burnham-on-Sea on Friday evening.
Neil told SomersetLive: ""During our break away we were naked most of the time. Where I live there are shops, grocery stores and pubs where I go in regularly that accept I am a naturist.
"We don't think the reaction on TripAdvisor was reflective of what actually happened in the pub in Burnham-on-Sea. It was a new place and people were not expecting it and there was an element of surprise when we first walked in. We sat in the corner of the pub and had our meal. People quickly went back to their drinks and got on with their day.
"After all two naked people sitting in a corner of a pub having a beer and burger quickly becomes boring. Several people came over to us whilst we were there to have a chat and ask questions or request a photo. We had checked with the pub first and got their permission to visit."
Neil, who last year did a 1,000 mile naked cycle ride across the UK with friends for charity, added: "We also stopped off in Bristol on Thursday night and went to a pub there and received no reaction to us being naked at all.
"We spent the day walking around Clifton Downs and the Harbourside. We felt very comfortable in Bristol but less comfortable in the pub in Somerset.
"I've made over 500 visits to shops, bars and other businesses whilst naked and as far as I'm aware not one of those visits has ever resulted in a single negative review. Danielle and I find it deeply saddening that in 2023 an individual has attacked a small business that is trying to demonstrate acceptance and tolerance."
Being naked in public is not an offence. Whilst many naturists will restrict their activities to specially designated areas and/or places where there is a tradition of naked activity, such as nudist beaches, others may wish to enjoy nudity more widely.
Guidance on the Crown Prosecution Service website says: “In the case of naturism a balance needs to be struck between the naturist's right to freedom of expression and the right of the wider public to be protected from harassment, alarm and distress."
The guidance adds: “In the absence of any sexual context and in relation to nudity where the person has no intention to cause alarm or distress it will normally be appropriate to take no action unless members of the public were actually caused harassment, alarm or distress.”
A spokesperson for the Railway Inn said: “We have received both negative and positive comments which we have taken on board, however naturism is legal within the UK and we pride ourselves on inclusivity and welcome everyone's individuality and differences.”
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