An electrician expressed surprise after being denied entry to a beer garden due to wearing work attire. Graham, the owner of an alarm company, had just finished work on a Friday afternoon and wanted to have a drink with his colleagues. However, they were stopped from entering the pub as they were still in their work clothes, even though they were clean and not covered in paint. The pub clarified its “smart casual dress code” policy, stating that uniforms and work clothes did not meet the requirements.
The incident occurred around 2pm on Wednesday when Graham tried to enter The Dirty Onion beer garden in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. The situation was discussed on BBC’s The Nolan Show, with Graham questioning whether individuals in suits, which could also be considered workwear, would face the same restriction.
Graham shared his experience, mentioning that they were turned away by the doorman due to their work attire. He raised concerns about the reasoning behind banning tradespeople from the beer garden, suggesting it might be more about a class distinction than the type of clothing. He emphasized that they were clean and did not see why their work attire should be an issue for entering the establishment.
Following the incident, there was criticism on social media regarding the bar’s decision. Some users highlighted the unfairness of denying entry based on workwear and expressed support for working individuals.
In response, The Dirty Onion stood by its dress code policy, emphasizing that uniforms and work attire did not align with their smart casual requirement. The bar’s spokesperson stated that the staff are instructed to use discretion but are expected to enforce the dress code consistently. While regretting the inconvenience caused to the customer, the bar reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the established dress code.