Wetherspoons has apologised after the husband of a former Strictly Come Dancing trainer said they felt 'humiliated and embarrassed' when asked to leave one of its pubs because they had a dog with them.
Star's health struggles
Jane Phillips Bullock, who trained several Strictly professionals and starred in her own Channel 5 and Netflix series, Baby Ballroom, suffered a devastating stroke in August 2025. It left her with half her sight lost, no movement on her left side, and some cognitive and bodily function impairments. She now needs a wheelchair and specialist equipment just to leave the house.
The couple visited The Cross Inn in Kingswinford with Jane's carer, Sue, and her dog, Poppy, after a two-hour intensive neurological physiotherapy session. After the lengthy process of getting Jane out of the car and into the venue, they were asked to leave because dogs are not allowed.
Pub chain's response
A spokesperson for Wetherspoon told Express.co.uk: 'Wetherspoon has had a no-dogs policy for some years, although assistance dogs and guide dogs are allowed. In this case, the dog in question belonged to a carer who entered the pub alone with it.'
'Wetherspoon staff explained the company’s policy and said the customer’s car could remain in the car park and pointed out nearby premises where dogs were allowed.'
'We are sorry that the customer felt that the company’s policy was applied insensitively and will reply to the written complaint in early course.'
Husband's complaint
Jane's husband, Warren Bullock, wrote to the chain's chairman, Tim Martin, to complain about how the situation was handled, though he acknowledged the venue's no-dogs policy. He shared the letter online, insisting his issue was not with the policy itself but with the way staff handled it, calling for more 'flexibility' in such situations.
'Every outing is a major undertaking...What most people would consider a simple trip out has become a physically and emotionally exhausting task for all of us,' he wrote. 'It was obvious that Jane is profoundly disabled and that moving her is neither quick nor easy. Rather than showing any understanding or empathy for our situation, the approach felt forceful, unsympathetic and unnecessarily rigid.'
'We had to make the same journey back through the pub in front of other customers before repeating the entire transfer process to get Jane back into the car. After an exhausting physiotherapy session, she was left completely drained. We also felt embarrassed and humiliated.'
'What saddened me most was the complete absence of compassion,' he reflected. 'Sometimes outstanding customer service is not about making exceptions to policy; it is about recognising when people are facing extraordinary circumstances, treating them with kindness, dignity and respect, and looking for a practical solution wherever possible.'
