I know an obvious answer is not to drink in Wetherspoons, but I would be interested in opinions on this sorry scenario...
Entered a Wetherspoons at 10:30 with a friend. Bought a pint (Oakham White Dwarf) . Drank the pint. Bought another pint at 10:55 (St Peter's Organic Bitter). Friend then had a half. Atmosphere relaxed, pub fairly quiet.
Here's where it all goes wrong...
Pub calls time at 11:00. Bouncer appears and instantly starts forcing people to move from the back of the pub (as though he were under starter's orders). Friend and I comment to each other on how aggressive he is with a group of students. They look shocked as they are pushed towards the door.
At 11:02 (yes, we both checked our watches) bouncer tells us to leave the bar and stand by the door. At this point I am well into my pint and my friend has started on his half. I point out that we will be gone in 10 minutes anyway.
Situation escalates rapidly with the bouncer doing the "in your face" thing and repeatedly demanding that we stand in the doorway to finish our pints. No breathing space or reason given, other than that he is asking us. He is not interested in discussing customer care or the fact that the drinks were purchased to drink in a pub (not a doorway) or our assurances that we really will be leaving in 10 minutes.
Bouncer says he will drag us out if we don't stand in the door way NOW. He is asked to produce his badge, which is not on view. He does so, but covers his name and picture and won't tell us his name. The only thing we can see is a number, which is duly written down.
At 11:05 bouncer actually gets physical, grabbing arms then taking our pints and putting them by the door. Fortunately we are sober and sensible enough to stay polite and not resist.
We go to the door to get our pints as the bouncer pushes more people towards the exit..
Check watches again - it's 11:06 and the only customers left in a large Wetherspoons are all squashed within a few feet of the door. Apart from a few staff the pub looks completely empty. Bouncer is prowling like a rabid animal.
Ask for the manager (bouncer refuses to let us actually walk up to the bar and speak to her).
Small, young female comes up to us. She says she has only been there 2 weeks and doesn't know the regulations. Refuses to comment on the behaviour of bouncer or Wetherspoons' policy. Is plainly out of her depth and completely intimidated by the bouncer, who stands glaring at us as we speak.
Bouncer intrudes again and says he is a member of SIA and can throw anyone out at any time without a reason. He is asked what SIA stands for but he doesn't seem to know, apart from claiming that it is part of the government.
I ask if they will be refunding the cost of the drinks? It seems they will not.
Bouncer moves to harass the other remaining customers.
We have now actually finished out drinks - as we would have done a bit earlier without all the grief.
A female customer says she wishes to use the toilet. Bouncer says that they are locking the doors now.
It's probably just as well that we didn't need to use the toilet. After all, it's only our money that pays for the place.
We leave with the last customers.
Stand on pavement and check watches. Time is just coming up to 11:14.
Other customers comment that they can't believe the way they were treated in the pub.
A quality experience of being made to feel like a valued customer!
Hurrah for Wetherspoons and Oktoberfest!