Outrage as Six People Are Refused Entry to Wetherspoon Pub for Wearing Red Poppies to Remember Fallen British Soldiers, as Staff Explain Why
Six people were reportedly stopped from entering a JD Wetherspoon pub in Hampshire because they were wearing red poppies, which many people in Britain wear to remember soldiers who died during wars.
The incident happened on Sunday afternoon, 25 October 2026, outside The Star pub in Gosport, Hampshire. According to GB News, staff told the group that they could not enter because the poppies they were wearing might be seen as political symbols.
A video of what happened was shared on social media. It showed the group speaking to security staff and asking why they were not allowed inside the pub.
One of the security workers told them, “I’m just doing my job.”
He also warned that if they removed their poppies before entering the pub and then put them back on once inside, they would be asked to leave.
The group questioned the decision because red poppies are commonly worn across Britain to remember soldiers who lost their lives while serving their country.
Another member of staff, believed to be the pub manager, explained that a rule had been introduced to stop people from wearing or displaying anything that could be seen as political.
The staff member said the rule applied to everyone, regardless of their political views.
“It’s fair for everyone. It’s blanket. Full stop,” he said.
The incident has raised questions because wearing a red poppy is a long-standing tradition in Britain, especially during October and November.
Many people wear poppies to show respect for British soldiers who died in the First World War, the Second World War and other conflicts.
Reform UK councillor George Madgwick, who serves on Portsmouth City Council, spoke to GB News about what happened.
He said he was shocked by the decision and believed that Sir Tim Martin, the founder of Wetherspoon, would be very angry when he heard about it.
“I can’t believe it. If it wasn’t recorded, I wouldn’t believe it’s true either,” Mr Madgwick said.
He also explained that the six people who were refused entry were members of Reform UK and had been campaigning in the area earlier that day.
However, according to the councillor, they were not wearing anything that showed they were representing Reform UK when they tried to enter the pub.
The incident happened on the same day that hundreds of people gathered in Gosport to protest about migrants arriving in small boats.
Around 400 people reportedly joined the anti-immigration protest after two small boats arrived along the nearby coast.
Another group of people also gathered to protest against the anti-immigration demonstrators.
Police were present in the area to make sure the protests remained peaceful and to prevent trouble between the two groups.
Hampshire Police introduced special rules, including restrictions on people covering their faces and powers allowing officers to order people to leave certain areas.
Police later said both protests ended without any major problems and that nobody had been arrested.
Although the six people had been campaigning earlier in the day, it is not clear whether their political activities had anything to do with the pub’s decision to refuse them entry.
The incident comes just weeks before Remembrance Day, when people across Britain remember those who lost their lives serving in the Armed Forces.
Every year, millions of people wear red poppies in the days leading up to 11 November.
The poppy has been used as a symbol of remembrance since the 1920s, following the First World War.
It became an important symbol because red poppies grew in places where soldiers had fought and died during the war.
Today, people wear poppies to remember those who lost their lives and to show support for soldiers, former military personnel and their families.
The Royal British Legion, a charity that supports members of the Armed Forces and their families, raises money every year through its Poppy Appeal.
People can make donations and receive poppies to wear on their clothes.
The money helps former soldiers and their families who may need financial support, help with housing or other assistance.
JD Wetherspoon has supported the Royal British Legion for many years and has helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for the charity each year.
This has made the reported incident even more surprising to some people because the company has previously encouraged customers and staff to support the Poppy Appeal.
Wetherspoon is also known to have rules against bringing certain flags, signs and political materials into its pubs.
These rules are intended to prevent arguments and disagreements between customers.
However, it is not clear whether the company considers an ordinary red poppy to be a political symbol or whether the decision was made by staff at The Star pub.
This is not the first time Wetherspoon has faced questions about what customers and workers are allowed to wear.
The company previously faced criticism after a woman wearing a Union Jack dress was refused entry to The Picture House pub in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
In another incident in 2017, a fake social media account claimed that Wetherspoon had banned its workers from wearing poppies.
The company responded by making it clear that the claim was false and that staff were allowed to wear them.
The latest incident in Gosport has brought the issue back into public discussion.
Some people believe wearing a poppy should not be treated as a political act because it is a way of remembering soldiers who died serving their country.
Others believe pubs should be able to introduce rules to prevent political arguments, especially when protests are taking place nearby.
However, there has been no confirmation that Wetherspoon has introduced a rule across all its pubs banning customers from wearing poppies.
The report concerns what happened at The Star pub in Gosport, and it is still unclear whether the decision was made by local staff or came from the company’s management.
GB News said it had contacted JD Wetherspoon for a response.
For the six people involved, what should have been a normal visit to a pub turned into an argument with staff over the poppies they were wearing.
The incident has now raised questions about why people wearing a symbol commonly used to remember fallen soldiers were reportedly prevented from entering a British pub.
As Remembrance Day approaches, many people across the country will continue wearing poppies to remember those who died during wars.
It remains to be seen whether Wetherspoon will explain what happened at The Star pub and whether customers will be allowed to wear poppies there without being refused entry.
