Man 'baffled' after pub refuses entry over poppy

A man has said he was left "baffled" after a pub refused him entry because he was wearing a poppy.

Veteran Scott Schillemore, from Portsmouth, said staff at The Star in Gosport told him anything that could be interpreted as "a political statement" was not allowed.

It came as about 400 anti-migrant protesters staged a march, which Schillemore said he had not attended, through the town.

Wetherspoons, which owns the pub, said some members of the public had not been allowed in the pub due to "security measures" following "demonstrations in the town".

Schillemore said he visited the pub after his friends told him they had been turned away because they were wearing poppies.

"We were in disbelief, so we made our way down there just because it's one of those things you don't really hear of," he said.

He said the door staff had also "point-blank refused" them entry, saying the poppies could be "a political statement".

"It's just a sign of respect for the fallen," he said.

Poppies are worn each year to mark Remembrance events and commemorate those who died in the first and second world wars and other conflicts.

Schillemore said a couple of women, after overhearing the exchange, had said they would not support a business that refused customers wearing poppies.

"The door staff at the time only had to say 'Fellas, not today', and that could have been it," he said.

"It was at the point that he said that the poppies was the reason and that's what upset us all."

A Wetherspoons spokesperson said there was "no ban on poppies" in the company's pubs.

"Wetherspoon has been a long-standing supporter of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, with poppies for sale in our pubs, including the Star," they said.

It said security measures during the demonstration on Sunday meant "some members of the public, including some wearing poppies, did not gain entry to the pub".

The spokesperson continued that it had closed to all customers at 17:00 BST after advice from the police, and remained closed on Monday.

"We apologise to any regular customers who have been inconvenienced by today's events and look to forward to welcoming everyone back tomorrow," they added.