Fury as pub bans under 21s, hoodies, bum bags, Stone Island, ‘chavs’ and ‘roadmen’

FURY erupted after a pub banned under-21s, hoodies, tracksuits and Stone Island clothes to stop "chavs" and "roadmen" from coming in.

Publican Brian Hoyle faced a backlash for banning youngsters drinking at The Orange Tree pub in Hereford at weekends because they were "unable to handle their booze".

He also prohibits anyone from entering if they wear sportswear, hoodies, tracksuits, bum bags or Stone Island branded clothing on any other day of the week.

Brian - who took over the boozer last summer - said the measures were aimed at cracking down on disorderly customers he described as "chavs and roadmen wearing bum bags".

But young people have accused Brian of prejudice and class-based discrimination.

Brian has defended the policy and says he just wants The Orange Tree to become a "proper" Hereford pub again.

Student Neil Finley, 19, of Hereford, said the move was "very shallow".

He said: "Has [Brian] never heard of not judging a book by its cover?

"It's age discrimination pure and simple and once again young people are all being unfairly tarnished with the same brush.

"He's telling people who wear Stone Island clothes that they aren't good enough for his pub, how can you judge a customer based on his choice of jacket?

"Why don't you just ban anybody who causes trouble rather than singling out everybody under a particular age who happens to wear a hoodie."

One 22-year-old added: "I understand that some young people play up after having a few too many but to slap a label on all of us is completely wrong.

"So somebody in a £400 Stone Island jacket isn't welcome but if I turned up in a pair of £5 Primark trousers, I would be ok? It doesn't make sense.

"Some of my mates are only 20 and we don't cause trouble, but now we can't drink in there because of this bonkers discriminatory policy.

"It's class discrimination as well, a lot of people wearing these clothes are working-class lads. They are being singled out because of their social class."

One resident wrote: "Absolutely pathetic I wear tracksuits but I'm not a thug it's just comfy to wear."

Another added: "Pretty sure that how you dress is not going to dictate how the younger generation act in this scenario, especially after a few drinks.

"Would it not be better to just ban the trouble makers attending your bar rather than judging everyone who wears a hoodie when many of those could be fairly decent, well-minded individuals?"

"It's those sort of young ones who are causing trouble

Brian Hoyle

Some supported the move, with one backer writing: "Good for them. Especially with the behaviour of not handling their [sic] drink..need to show some respect for others."

The pub landlord said: "The youngsters don't know how to handle themselves in a pub.

"A lot of them turned 18 during lockdown and are just misbehaving to be fair, and putting off other customers.

"There's probably people in their 40s or 50s who wear it (Stone Island and sportswear), but I'm trying to make a statement.

"It's those sort of young ones who are causing trouble.

"There's a lot of young chavs, or roadmen, with bum bags in Hereford, if you know what I mean, [sic] been frequenting the pub and they don't know how to behave."