Wetherspoon staff claimed man with cold was taking cocaine
A Wetherspoon’s customer with a ‘stinking’ cold was gobsmacked after being accused of taking cocaine by staff.
Alan Mannings was shocked when he went to the loos at the Thomas Ingoldsby branch in Canterbury to blow his nose and was accused of taking the drug.
Upon returning to the bar, he was told he wouldn’t be served – because some of the white tissue was stuck under the 56-year-old’s nose and mistaken for cocaine.
After being refused service by the employee behind the bar, Mr Mannings said he was stunned to be told the staff had ‘suspicions’.
He told KentOnline: ‘I was just standing there shocked, absolutely shocked. I asked “suspicions of what?” and she replied “drugs”.’
Mr Mannings said he has never smoked and rarely drinks – and would never take an illegal substance – but despite explaining this, the bartenders did not believe him.
He added: ‘I was so embarrassed. A friend of mine happened to be there and saw it. He just laughed in shock when I told him what they had said.’
Eventually the staff said he could be served food and drinks, but would have to ‘leave straight after’ – but he left and asked for a refund.
After leaving the franchise, he ran into a friend who told him to ‘wipe his finger under his nose’.
Mr Mannings said: ‘They obviously presumed that was cocaine. I’m sure coke looks different to a bit of tissue.
‘I’m still gobsmacked. My other half didn’t sleep last night and is shocked and embarrassed by it.’
Now Mr Mannings, who used to visit the location frequently, has refused to return until receiving an apology from the chain.
‘That’s not the way to treat people. They jumped to conclusions too quickly.’
He also wants staff to be trained at differentiating between when someone is using drugs and when someone has a runny nose, so the same embarrassment doesn’t happen to someone else.
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: ‘We are aware of the incident and note the customer’s explanation.
‘We will investigate the full circumstances before contacting the customer directly.’
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