‘All we want is justice’ say the Ash Romany Gypsies

Romany Gypsy women from Ash, Surrey, are determined to fight for justice after being refused service at their local pub when they were told that “Travellers are bad for business”.

Billy Jo Sines, Sissy Pittoch, Lilly Jones, Julie Brazil, Lindy Brazil and Ruby Brazil went to their local Pub – the Napier - to see what was going on after hearing rumours that the owner had banned all of the local Romany Gypsy community.

The women went to the pub and were refused service by a pub employee – who they recorded on their mobile phones - and were told that the owner had ordered his staff to refuse to serve all “Travellers” saying that “Travellers are bad for business”.

Billy Jo Sines, an Ash Romany Gypsy who works as a pupil counsellor at her local school, explains that the Ash Romany Gypsy community have been regulars at the pub for decades and are part of the fabric of the local community.

“The Brazils have been going to the Napier for 80 years,” says Billy Jo. “We have had weddings there, we have helped with their sponsorship events and we go to the bingo night. We are not ‘bad for business’ – we are half his business and it’s not right. It seems that they let dogs in but not us.”

The incident has deeply shocked the women, who consider themselves to be part of the fabric of the local community, and who have many Gorja friends.

In fact, in the phone recording of the incident – heard by The Travellers’ Times – local non-Gypsy regulars can be heard in the background saying “that’s not right” and “that’s not fair”.

“I felt discriminated against,” says Ruby Brazil.

Refusing service, whether it is in a pub or a restaurant or a shop, breaks the Equalities law and the women are now in touch with Howe & Co, the law firm that has won several discrimination cases for Travellers – including against the pub giant Wetherspoons.

“It’s not about money,” says Sissy. “It’s about getting a little bit of justice. What happened was wrong and we have decided to take a stand.”

Speaking to The Travellers’ Times, Martin Howe, Senior Partner of Howe & Co, said that his firm would look into the matter and has been sent the recordings.

"Shops, restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, clubs and pubs must realise that treating Gypsies and Travellers as second-class citizens is an affront to their dignity that is no longer tolerated,” he said.