Landlord shuts pub after punters break swearing ban

A landlord kicked out all of his customers and shut his pub for five days after overhearing some of his punters using expletives, breaking the company’s zero-tolerance policy on bad language.

The Arlington Hotel in Loftus, North Yorkshire

As of April 12 this year, all pubs run by the UK- based Samuel Smith Old Brewery in Tadcaster have implemented a ‘Zero Tolerance No Swearing Policy’. The policy tells managers to refuse service to customers who continue to use bad language in any of its pubs, telling customers: “We wish to inform all of our customers that we have introduced a zero tolerance policy against swearing in all of our pubs.”

That policy was tested at the group’s Arlington Hotel in Loftus, North Yorkshire, last week when the landlord overheard some of his punters using bad language in its beer garden.

According to Gazette Live, the landlord began recounting Sam Smith’s policy on swearing before turning to a girl behind the bar and telling her, ‘shut this bar and get these out’, closing the pub at just 9.30pm on Wednesday.

One man told the paper: “I had just called in for a couple of pints. I was talking to somebody at the bar. Next thing, the door burst open and this man started shouting the Sam Smith’s policy on swearing.

“He said he had been outside and heard somebody swear. Then he turned to the girl behind the bar and said ‘Shut this bar and get these out’.

“At this point I said ‘excuse me, you can’t talk to people like this,’ but each time I went to speak he just talked over me. He just put his hand up and said ‘shut up and get out’.”

Dated April 12, the independent brewery’s full ‘no swearing’ policy states: “The Company is introducing a zero tolerance policy against swearing in all of its pubs. As manager(s) of our pubs, you are responsible for ensuring that they are run in a proper and orderly manner and this includes preventing the use of bad language.

“If customers, and staff alike, swear on the premises then you must ask them to refrain from using bad language. If, after asking a customer and/or member(s) of staff to refrain from using bad language they continue to do so, then you have the authority to take reasonable steps to ensure that they comply with the policy i.e. you must refuse to serve them.”

The pub was set to reopen today, with the same landlord and landlady, having been shut for five days.