Debates in the pub after a long day and a few glasses of house red can get heated. Whether it’s over the latest episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians or a simple mention of the word “Trump,” expletives will inevitably slip out.
But be prepared to hold your tongue next time you go for a pint. If you drop the F bomb in certain pubs in the UK, you could now risk being barred.
Videos by VICE
Under new behaviour guidelines issued last week by pub group Samuel Smith’s Brewery, staff are instructed to refuse service to sweary customers. According to Sam Smith pub managers, the new zero-tolerance policy against profane language could also see customers banned from the premises.
Local news website GazetteLive reports that several of the country’s 200 Sam Smith pubs have even put up signs informing to inform customers of the new anti-swear policy. The notice reads: “We wish to inform all of our customers that we have introduced a zero tolerance policy against swearing in all of our pubs. Please kindly respect this policy.”
To really hammer home the message that swear words just aren’t cool, man, some Sam Smith pubs are even displaying the full memo from head office, which warns: “As manager(s) of our pubs, you are responsible for ensuring that they are run in a proper and orderly manner and this includes preventing the use of bad language.”
The memo continues: “If, after asking a customer and/or member(s) of staff to refrain from using bad language they continue to do so, then you have the authority to take reasonable steps to ensure that they comply with the policy i.e. you must refuse to serve them.”
It’s not the first time that a pub has tried to implement rules to ensure everyone can enjoy their IPA in PG environment. Last year, Wetherspoons came under fire from customers after the manager of a pub in Kent banned tracksuits, claiming that he was “just trying to get the atmosphere right.”
MUNCHIES reached out to Samuel Smith’s Brewery to find out exactly which and how many expletives would result in a customer being banned from the pub, but had not received a response at the time of publishing.
So, next time a model UN starts to form around the pub table, maybe think about what your nan would say if she heard you use that language
