An elderly man is alleging that he has become the victims of a "catastrophic misunderstanding" after being banned from one of his favourite pubs.
For over 20 years, Ivor Rodgers, 82, has been a regular visitor to The Beech Tree in Hull, often accompanied by his friend who has additional needs for lunch outings.
The dispute began in March when Ivor found himself caught up in what he believed to be a minor issue involving a discount voucher.
READ MORE: What to watch on Netflix this weekend - Harry Potter, Selling Sunset, Conor McGregor documentary
However, on his subsequent visit, he was informed that a staff member was unwilling to serve him, and soon after, a manager contacted him to tell him he was banned.
Ember Inns, which owns The Beech Tree, said it would not allow guests to "behave in a way that causes upset to other guests or to our team".
Ivor has strongly denied using any offensive or intimidating language and has offered to apologise for any offence he may have caused.
The disagreement originated when Ivor attempted to use a money-off voucher towards meals for himself and his friend. But due to his attempt to pay for one meal with cash and the other with his card, the voucher system only applied the discount to a single meal instead of both.
He told Hull Live: "On Thursday, March 30, I took my friend to The Beech Tree after his three-month stay in hospital for heart problems. I armed myself with a 25 per cent off meals voucher, which covered up to six people, and intended to use it for both of our meals.
"After finding a table, I joined the longish queue and was greeted by a lady who I have known to work there for several years, who has always been lovely and helpful, especially with my friend's condition. I tried to pay for my friend's meal with cash and my meal with a card, but unfortunately the voucher system only favoured one payment method.
"I tried to restart the voucher process. However, a man behind me started becoming very impatient, so I decided to forego my discount, while David received his. The lady behind the counter sensibly suggested that she send a manager to our table later to sort it, but he never arrived."
Feeling perplexed and disheartened, Ivor reached out to Ember Inns via email, receiving a response from a general manager who offered a £10 (€11.50) voucher as an apology for the misunderstanding.
However, the following week, Ivor and his friend were taken aback when the same woman who had previously served him refused to do so again.
Ivor continued: "When I approached the bar to order an initial pint, I was informed that the lady who usually served me, had decided not to serve me. I was absolutely mortified that she had, for whatever reason, decided not to serve me, so I naturally attempted to speak with her to try to reconcile.
"A young man then appeared and poured me a drink, and I asked why I had been refused service, especially as I've always been welcomed in the pub. He assured me that although the lady would not be serving me again, I could still eat and drink there.
"I could only imagine the catastrophic misunderstanding that had taken place, as I have never been shunned by anyone in my life. I then went home and contacted the umbrella company Mitchells and Butlers with my concerns."
Puzzled by what he perceived as a "catastrophic misunderstanding", Ivor returned home and contacted Mitchells and Butlers, the parent company of Ember Inns, to express his concerns. To his dismay, he later received a phone call from a regional manager at Ember Inns, informing him of his ban.
Ivor expressed his bewilderment, saying: "Being barred from a pub is usually associated with aggression, drunken behaviour, or physical violence, mostly involving folk much younger than my 82 years of age!
"I'm not sure what I have done to justify the ban, and I feel as though it blights my reputation. I would, without any hesitation, be prepared to apologise for anything I might have said or done that might have been interpreted by the lady to justify this reaction. I would never wish her ill in any way at all."
Highlighting the pub's excellent food and helpful staff, Ivor lamented the loss of a beloved establishment he had frequented for two decades.
Hull Live put Ivor's claims to Ember Inns. The pub chain said it could not comment on an individual case, but spoke of how it was committed to creating a kind environment for customers and staff.
A spokesperson for Ember Inns said: "Whilst we can’t comment on individual guest experiences, we can confirm our policy that occasionally in situations where guests behave in a way that causes upset to other guests or to our team we have to refuse service.
"These decisions are never taken lightly, but we have to ensure our guests and team members have a positive experience when they visit or are working with us, so regretfully when we are put in this position through poor behaviour we do ask guests to refrain from visiting us."
READ NEXT:
Ireland weather: How hot it will get in your area this weekend amid twist in Met Eireann forecast
- Woman gets nightmare diagnosis after going to doctor complaining of tiredness
- Holly Willoughby Phillip Schofield 'feud' explained - both sides of story from 'egos to booze ban'
- Asylum seekers facing deportation after fleeing from sinister protests outside Clare hotel
- Teenage girl seriously injured after horror fall from third storey of car park in Cork
Get news updates direct to your inbox by signing up to our daily newsletter here
