The Samuel Smith’s pub has divided opinion after introducing a list of eight rules and banning certain items
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A pub in Yorkshire has caused a stir after introducing a strict list of house rules and banning a number of everyday items.
The Boot and Shoe Inn in Tockwith, North Yorkshire, has been branded "oppressive" for banning children, muddy boots, swearing phones, iPads and laptops from its premises – leading to many calling out the draconian measures on social media.
The pub, owned by the Samuel Smith Brewery, plastered the new measures in its front window, prompting one Twitter user to share the list of policies and banned items. Signs stipulate that children are 'temporarily' banned, are only allowed in the beer gardens and must stay by the table.
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Dogs are also not allowed in the pub, but are allowed in the grounds as long as they attended to and kept 'under control at all times', while muddy boots and work shoes must be removed before entering the pub, and swearing is treated with 'zero tolerance'.
Mobile phones, iPads, laptops, tablets and other transmission and reception devices are not allowed to be used inside the pub, which means anyone hoping to use the spot as a makeshift co-working location might want to look elsewhere. The signs states: "The ban includes receiving or sending texts, taking or viewing photographs, emailing, using games, apps, Google, Facebook Messenger, etc etc.
Signed by the management of Samuel Smiths Brewery, it justifies the notice by adding: "We want our traditional pub to be a haven for social conversation". While the request has riled up some people, as YorkshireLive reports, the request has been standard practice in Samuel Smith pubs for years.
Taking to social media to share an image of the eight notices, Twitter user and customer @leonlen said: "The full range of Sam Smiths bans on offer here – appears children are now banned ‘temporarily’ #pub".
Responding to a comment which described the house rules as "oppressive", he added: "Fella behind the bar was perfectly friendly but you’d cross the road to Spotted Ox wouldn’t you? Saw child ban at another one in Rochdale last week & thought it specific to that place but seems not."
The post attracted a number of other comments, including one lamenting the muddy boots rules. Twitter user @miguelinho2910 wrote: "Unless there clean," What? I'm unsure if I'm more offended by the wrong word being used, a random comma at the end of the sentence, the fact they want people's feet on display or the fact they evidently don't want any custom."
Others said they couldn't understand why the brewery wanted to treat customers like "primary school children". @brewclubshef wrote: "Seems like they've got everything covered there, except maybe a no breathing policy. I love Sam Smiths beer but fail to understand why they want to treat their customers like primary school children?"
While @hilton_ian commented: "Once made the mistake of calling into a Sam Smith's in Boston Spa, never again. I felt like a school kid being told off for checking the footy score on my phone. Supped up and promptly left."
Others took issue with the pub describing itself as 'family friendly, with another person adding that "the website says they are a family friendly pub! It would appear that unless you have children it is family friendly", while @JoesterT wrote: "Trying really hard to put themselves out of business aren’t they".
Some jumped to the pub's defence, writing in response that "other pubs are available you know", while another said that the rules seemed "fairly reasonable" and added that "many other pubs that allow children operate a similar policy".
A spokesman from Boot & Shoe Inn, who did not want to give a full statement, said: "It's a brewery decision to ban them."
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