Protesters covered the frontage of a Wetherspoon pub in Gosport with poppy stickers after a group including veterans was allegedly refused entry for wearing them.
The incident took place at The Star on Sunday, 25 October, while an anti-immigration march and a separate counter-demonstration were being held in the Hampshire town.
Reform UK councillor George Madgwick said members of the group had been meeting for a drink after campaigning. He said they were wearing ordinary clothes, with no flags, party logos or other political branding, but that two veterans were asked to remove their poppies before entering.
“When we reached the door, security told us we couldn’t come in wearing poppies and asked us to remove them,” Mr Madgwick said. “The explanation was that it was company policy.”
Footage posted on X showed two hooded demonstrators standing on tables and placing poppy stickers on the pub sign and shopfront. The video was captioned: “It looks like the Gosport Wetherspoons are getting a taste of their own medicine.”
JD Wetherspoon said there was no ban on poppies in its pubs. The company said it had supported the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal for many years and that poppies were being sold at The Star.
It said additional security measures had been introduced because of the demonstrations, and acknowledged that some customers wearing poppies were among those who had not been allowed entry while the measures were in place.
Footage showed a security guard telling the group that anything which could be perceived as political was not permitted under a “blanket” policy. The guard also said people wearing pride flag badges would be treated in the same way.
Mr Madgwick said he had initially struggled to believe what he was being told. He described the treatment as “disgusting and shameful” and said the poppy should not be regarded as a political statement.
“Veterans and people who remember them come from every political persuasion, party and belief,” he said.
Veteran Scott Schillemore, who was also with the group, said he was “gobsmacked” at being denied entry.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary estimated that between 500 and 550 people attended the two demonstrations. They passed without incident and no arrests were made.
Mr Madgwick said the protests were around half a mile from the pub and that there was nothing about the group’s clothing to suggest its members were involved in either event. He said a crowd later gathered outside The Star and police arrived.
The pub subsequently closed to all customers at 5pm on police advice, with reopening planned for the following day. Wetherspoon apologised to regular customers inconvenienced by the events.
The company’s charity information says its pubs sell poppies and raise around £60,000 each year for the appeal. The Royal British Legion says the red poppy is a symbol of remembrance and support for the Armed Forces community, and that wearing one has no political or religious meaning.
