Putting the public houses in order

‘We are now working with JD Wetherspoon to help change the appalling discrimination that many Travellers face in pubs across the UK,’ says Jim Davies from the Traveller Movement.

Of all the types of discrimination that are reported to the Traveller Movement Equality and Social Justice Unit, refusal of service is the most common. Romani and Travellers are being refused entry to pubs and restaurants, refused membership to clubs and associations, businesses refusing to sell their services and products are all examples of this pervasive form of discrimination that have been reported to us over recent weeks.

And in recent years, perhaps the most famous case is that of the Traveller Movement v JD Wetherspoon. In 2011 , following the Traveller Movement annual conference, a group of conference attendees where refused entry to the Coronet Pub on Holloway Road, London, on the basis that they were Travellers or with Travellers. A four year long legal battle ensued, ending with JD Wetherspoon being found guilty of race discrimination and ordered to pay compensation of £24000 and substantial legal costs.

But far from being the end of the matter, the court case and judgement was in fact the start of an interesting and hopefully fruitful relationship between JD Wetherspoon and the Traveller Movement. Over the last two years we have continued talks and communication around the wider issues of refusal of service for Romani and Travellers. JD Wetherspoon, to their credit, have been eager to learn and take action. Last month along with Traveller Movement CEO Yvonne MacNamara and Rosemary Lloyd of the Equality and Human Rights Commission met with JD Wetherspoon Chair Tim Martin, and senior management of his pub chain, to discuss how things have changed within their organisation and how they see the issue being tackled throughout the industry.

It was heartening to find that JD Wetherspoon have instigated root and branch training throughout their chain and since 2015 no other cases of refusal of service have been brought against them. The Traveller Movement also are not aware of any complaints since this time involving a JD Wetherspoon Pub.  Coming away from the meeting my own feeling was that there was now a real understanding of the issue at an organisational level and importantly a willingness to be proactive in bringing about wider change. True to his word, this month has seen two articles by Tim Martin , one in The Guardian and one in the widely read Licensing Trade Publication, the Morning Advertiser, highlighting the issue and backing the Traveller Movement in our work to tackle this issue.

These are only words I know, but they shouldn’t be taken lightly. Tim Martin is a high profile figure and whatever your view of him people sit up and take notice when he talks. His public recognition of the problem of discrimination against Travellers in the UK’s pubs and endorsement of efforts to tackle it can only work in our favour. And as for Wetherspoon themselves, current evidence suggests that they really have put their own house in order.

Jim Davies, Manager Traveller Movement Equalities and Social Justice Unit