Footage has surfaced online showing a 22-year-old woman being refused entry to Gourmet Burger Kitchen in the Trafford Centre after she was unable to verify she was over 18. The restaurant, situated on the upper level of the shopping centre's main food court, the Orient, has now addressed the claims made against it.
What happened
In a clip uploaded to TikTok, Lia Clark claimed she was turned away from the burger restaurant because she didn't have her ID on her to confirm she was over 18. She said: "We're trying to come in here to eat a burger, no alcohol. Nothing. A chicken burger." She went on to claim she was asked for identification and informed diners must be over 19 to eat at the restaurant. Lia proceeded to tell the member of staff she was 22, before showing them a photograph of her passport. But Lia claims the staff member then informed her she would need a physical form of ID.
Upon noticing a baby inside the restaurant, Lia questioned why the infant had been permitted entry, only to be told it was because the child was accompanied by an adult who was over 18. She said: "I am shell-shocked, I have never heard nothing like that in my whole life. So if you want to come here for food, make sure you've got ID with you for a burger."
Restaurant's response
In a statement the restaurant stood firmly behind its policy, explaining it stems from its licensing conditions. A spokesperson for GBK said: "Like pubs, clubs and other venues that serve alcohol, the conditions of our current licence state that guests must be aged 18 or over unless they are accompanied by a responsible adult. At times we need to check ID to verify a guest's age to ensure we are complying with the law. We operate a Check 25 policy to ensure we are compliant with our licence. As with pubs and other licensed premises, this means the original physical ID document rather than a photo on a mobile phone, which we are unable to accept. We appreciate this can sometimes be disappointing for guests, and we understand the frustration this has caused. However, our team were simply following the requirements of our licence and applying them consistently. While we never want to turn anyone away, we are pleased the guest was able to find an alternative place to eat within the centre."
