Villagers boycott pub after Irish landlady refuses to sell poppies

[seanf]

Fair play to Miss Walsh!


"Villagers are boycotting a pub after its landlady refused to allow a Poppy collection tray on her bar.

Landlady Bernice Walsh, of The Windmill, in Weald, Kent, told former RAF serviceman David Marchant that people could buy poppies 'somewhere else' when he asked her permission to leave a poppy tray in her pub.

Mr Marchant, who is a local parish councillor and school governor, said the whole village was shocked and upset at the decision.

Uproar: Villagers are boycotting the Windmill pub in Weald, Kent, after its landlady refused to sell poppies

'It has become quite a talking point in the village that she showed this lack of interest,' he said. 'A lot of people are upset.'

The 77-year-old, whose father fought in the Great War and brother was in World War Two, said the Poppy Appeal was very important to him.

'My brother, who is older than me, served through the war in the Army and my cousin was killed flying a Spitfire,' he said.

Mr Marchant did two years' National Service in the 1950s with the RAF, serving in traffic control at a flight training school in Gloucestershire and was chairman of his local Royal British Legion branch until it was disbanded.

He said every other business he approached, as well as the local school and church, accepted poppy trays.

Mr Marchant, added: 'She made it quite clear that I couldn't leave them on the bar. I had the tray in my hand to give her. That was the whole object of my visit.
'She has upset an awful lot of people before this I'm afraid in other ways.'

Villager Graham Hendry said he was appalled at Miss Walsh's decision and said he and many of his pals were boycotting the pub until the poppy tray was allowed.


He said: 'God only knows why she is being so stubborn.

'Everybody supports the poppy campaign and I can't think for one minute why she refused to have the tray on the bar.

'I'll not be drinking there until the poppy tray is on the bar and nor will a lot of my mates.'

Evelyn Rogers, Weald's poppy organiser, said there had always previously been a poppy tray at the pub.

'I have been doing this for years and years and I have never experienced anything like that in my life,' she said.

Another villager, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's a shame because people in the village want to support her, but she keeps rubbing people up the wrong way.
'We need a pub - it was closed for six months and then she came and everyone was really pleased about it, but immediately she banned dogs and it's a village pub and people lilke to take their dogs in so it's upset an awful lot of people.'

He added: 'I won't be going back until the situation is resolved.'

Miss Walsh said she has been surprised by the degree of bad feeling towards her since she took over The Windmill three months ago.

She said: 'There are a lot of people in the village who are against the pub. I would like to be part of the community, my kids go to the local school, but any offer has been refused.'

She said there were already three other charity boxes on the bar.
Speaking at her pub yesterday, landlady Bernice Walsh said that 'she didn't have room for a poppy tray' on her bar.

Miss Walsh, 36, who is originally from County Mayo in Ireland said her bar was 'too small' and that she 'already had three other charity collection tins' on the bar.
She said: 'I was unable to give the poppies a prime spot on the bar as it is narrow and already has other charity boxes.'

Miss Walsh also said that she was aware of some villagers boycotting her bar, but
said that it was mainly 'old people'.

She added: 'There are customers who are boycotting the pub, but it's the older people who are doing that.'

The mother-of-two said the pub was previously closed down because it was a 'dump' and only a small group of men had drunk there and said that since she took over in July it was more popular with youngsters and women.

She said that the people boycotting her needed to stop the campaign against her, adding: 'They need to stop bad mouthing me.'

She said the reason she banned dogs from the pub when she took over the pub in the summer was that she was 'highly allergic' to both dogs and cats."

[J70]

"Not enough room on the bar"? What a ridiculous excuse. If its political, then she should have the guts to say so.

[pintsofguinness]

        
That should be on the wtf thread!

Another villager, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's a shame because people in the village want to support her, but she keeps rubbing people up the wrong way.
'We need a pub - it was closed for six months and then she came and everyone was really pleased about it, but immediately she banned dogs and it's a village pub and people lilke to take their dogs in so it's upset an awful lot of people.'

That's brillant!

I dont know whats sader, that these people are so upset about her not taking a poppy tray, have they nothing else to worry about? or that the story makes the news!

[seanf]

but immediately she banned dogs and it's a village pub and people lilke to take their dogs in so it's upset an awful lot of people.'

Imagine a pub with no dogs!

[J70]

Not sure about England, but in the states people are very, very sensitive about the military and veterans. Disrespect them at your peril. If that is the case in England, I can well understand why there would be this type of reaction.

[ballinaman]

Fair play to her

[ludermor]

Anyone got more info on her ( ie where she is from or a pic)

[longrunsthefox]

She should sell Easter Lillies in the bar next year to really annoy the natives    Good old Mrs Walsh

[Maguire01]

This is a load of bull. If she was refusing to have them in her bar on principle, she should say so. Otherwise, it's a non-story.

[Farrandeelin]

I wonder what our non-nationalist friends make of this!! Good on her is what I say!

[Bud Wiser]

War veteran ?  D'oul fooker was only sitting in a cabin changing traffic lights for two years while the rest of them, inclluding his brother were flying Spitfires.  I can imagine him with his handlebar moustache and cordoroy cap arriving with the box.  Good old Mrs Walsh, - go on and sue those who organized the boycott for loss of business and intimidation by way of them insisting what you should or should not sell in your own pub and then encouraging people not to trade with you.  Get a good solicitor Mrs and it will be a poor box they will want, not a poppy box.

[GalwayBayBoy]

       
That should be on the wtf thread!

Another villager, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's a shame because people in the village want to support her, but she keeps rubbing people up the wrong way.
'We need a pub - it was closed for six months and then she came and everyone was really pleased about it, but immediately she banned dogs and it's a village pub and people lilke to take their dogs in so it's upset an awful lot of people.'

That's brillant!

I dont know whats sader, that these people are so upset about her not taking a poppy tray, have they nothing else to worry about? or that the story makes the news!

Sounds like she's trying to get rid of all the jakies, dossers and old codgers and attract a younger clientele.

[Bud Wiser]

Rumour has it that she is still serving the dogs  and only barred them for a while until she got rid of the war veterans.



I think if you even own a petrol station, or have anything whatsoever to do with Shell the door is the direction to head for as well.

[Hardy]

Barwoman - Well Spot, how's the head this mornin?
Spot - Ruff ... ruff.

Barwoman - D'ya fancy a hair of ... ah never mind.

[ludermor]

http://www.uepengland.com/bbs/index.php/topic/15494-villagers-boycott-english-village-pub-after-irish-landlady-refuses-to-sell-poppies/page__s__a5ebf070fd740217a56c61d82525358b

Some 'interesting' views here!