Wetherspoon bars decorated veteran ‘for shutting a door’ | UK News

A decorated veteran says he has been banned from a Wetherspoon where he meets comrades after shutting a door to keep the cold out.

Kevin Shepherd, 70, a former Coldstream Guard, has complained that he has been barred for two months after bolting the side exit at The Clothier’s Arms in Leeds where a group of ex-servicemen meets every Monday.

Mr Shepherd, who spent two decades in the prestigious infantry unit, had repeatedly closed the door to keep the group, some of whom are aged in their 80s, warm during the chilly winter weather. 

The father of two, also a former police officer, says that on New Year’s Day he was told by a manager that he had already been warned about ‘touching doors’ and that he was banned for two months. 

‘We’re a group of veterans and creatures of habit who sit by a door which leads out onto a smoking area,’ he said.  

‘On a number of occasions the door has been left open, it’s not a fire door, it’s an exit door and the hinges must be broken, people are always closing it.

‘I’ve said to the manager previously that there’s a group of veterans and some of them are in their 80s, it’s a bit cold sat there.

‘He response was that it was nothing to do with him.  

‘On New Year’s Day this young buck came up and said he’d told me before about touching doors and that I was barred for two months.

‘I thought “goodness me”, I apologise if I’ve caused any problems, I’m just trying to keep the pub and the old veterans warm.

‘We didn’t kick off, we just drank up and left. I want to see if the decision can be reversed, it’s a disgusting way to treat veterans.’

Mr Shepherd told Metro.co.uk that he stepped out of the pub to bolt the left-hand door as viewed from the outside, but the other remained open.

Wetherspoon insisted today that the door is a fire exit and it has a ‘legal duty’ to ensure the access point is accessible at all times.

Mr Shepherd, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his actions during an IRA gun attack in Northern Ireland in 1972, had regarded the evening meetings as a lifeline to spend time with his friends.

The veteran, who lives in Yeadon a few minutes’ walk from the pub, completed five tours in Northern Ireland and also served in the Falklands and in Germany during his time as a Colour Seargent in the unit, which has a ceremonial role protecting Buckingham Palace.

He was presented with a General Service Medal and a ribbon with an oak leaf, representing his Mention in Despatches, by the late Queen Elizabeth II at Chelsea Barracks later in 1972.

The veteran group’s online lead then joined West Yorkshire Police, where he was also decorated by the region’s Chief Fire Officer for his life-saving actions during a house blaze.  

He then worked for 10 years as a blue light driver for the NHS before retiring from full-time work.  

‘It feels like a lifeline has been taken away from me,’ Mr Shepherd said. 

‘We go there because some of us are struggling financially and I’ve been in touch with the regiment about financial assistance.

‘Some of us are widowers, including myself, as I lost my wife recently.  

‘It’s like we’re still serving, we watch each other’s backs.  

‘That’s what the meetings were all about. We’re gobsmacked that we could be treated in this way, absolutely gobsmacked.’ 

Mr Shepherd has complained to the pub chain in an email but been told that the decision is the manager’s and will not be overturned.

A spokesman for Wetherspoon said: ‘We have investigated the incident and there was a discussion in the pub regarding the closing and locking of a fire exit. Wetherspoon has a legal duty to ensure all fire exits are available for use at all times and considers the action taken was reasonable in the circumstances.’

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Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact josh.layton@metro.co.uk

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