A 54-year-old woman wearing a Union Flag dress was refused entry to a Wetherspoons pub in Nottinghamshire during an anti-illegal immigration protest. Tanya Ostolski said she was initially turned away for carrying a St George's Cross flag, and later denied entry because of her dress.
The incident occurred at The Picture House in Sutton-in-Ashfield on Friday evening, July 25, as protesters gathered in the town centre. A Wetherspoons spokesperson said the pub manager requested patrons not to enter with flags or placards to avoid increasing tensions.
Ms Ostolski expressed disgust at the decision, stating she regularly visits the pub and was not being aggressive. She said she put away the flag but was still refused entry due to her dress, adding: 'It's our flag, it's our nation's flag.'
Wetherspoons has a long-standing 'no-flags' policy, though it was relaxed during the Euro 2024 championship to allow individual pubs to display England flags. The company emphasised that managers must judge each situation based on circumstances to maintain safety.
The protest, sparked by social media posts from MP Lee Anderson, saw demonstrators chanting 'stop the boats' and a counter-protest also taking place. The atmosphere was tense, but most crowds dispersed by 7pm.
