Should they have been banned?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....-wearing-uniform.html

When does the law of discrimination against the armed forces, outlined in May 2008, become law?

http://www.dailymail....criminal-offence.html

[anotheoldgit]

Yes I agree they were only applying a request from the station commander of RAF Brize Norton a certain female Group Captain.

What I was asking, "when does the anti discrimination law come into force"?

Even Gordon Brown says "they should wear their uniforms in public, with pride".

[New Judge]

Unfortunately this incident is symptomatic of the ridiculous state of confusion that reigns in this country today.

In (almost) the same breath:

We have the Prime Minister saying that discrimination against members of the armed forces wearing uniform will become a criminal offence. As far as I am aware this was simply another sound bite from the PM and no such legislation has been passed.

Then we have the Cross Keys saying it has a policy of not serving soldiers in uniform.

Then we have a “Punch Taverns” spokeswoman saying they had received a request from RAF Brize Norton not to serve uniformed troops as they are prohibited from entering licensed premises.

Then we have an RAF Brize Norton spokeswoman (why are all the spokespersons female?) saying that “Any personnel in the Navy, Army or RAF are not allowed to enter a pub in uniform” (which, unless the copy I have is out of date, is not contained in the Queen’s Regulations). But she goes on to contradict the Punch Taverns spokeswoman by saying that there has been “no contact between us and the pubs”.

Then, of course we have the differing opinions among the public, most of which are centred not on the personnel, but on the conflicts they have recently been called upon to serve in.

Then others consider whether the appearance of service personnel in uniform will upset some of our minority residents.

And so it goes on.

When will we get a grip? We do have Armed Forces. They are engaged in operations which some may disagree with. But they need to eat, drink and relax as we all do. To try “hiding” them when in uniform is ludicrous and it’s about time this country grew up.

[anotheoldgit]

Most of these drink at the back of the pub.

Remember that terrific TV comedy "Early Doors"?

[New Judge]

Off duty police officers tend not to wear their uniforms because they always get asked to sort out matters with which those on duty should deal. But why would it not look right if they went into a pub for a drink? As far as I know drinking alcohol is not (yet) an offence in the UK. Builders go into pubs in their overalls when “off duty”. Bus drivers go for a meal in their uniforms after work. Nobody says it would not look right. There’s nothing wrong with drinking alcohol so long as you do not commit any of the offences that sometimes go with it, such as those involving violence or driving over the limit.

Pubs are not (generally) dens of vice and iniquity, so just what is it about going into a pub wearing a uniform that “isn’t right”, WiseOwl?

[anotheoldgit]

Well thought out post New Judge, I wonder if the Army was called out to construct a temporary bridge in Cumbria, they would be forced to work in civvies?

Regarding your query, /// why are all the spokespersons female?///

What an excellent question to post, but could you enter it please? I am still smarting from an earlier "female sensitive" question?

[Quinlad]

Most nurses are banned from smoking in their uniform, even if they're off duty and off site. Employees of Rentokil, Tesco, and McDonalds wouldn't be allowed to wear their uniforms when they're swigging cider down the park, or havig a pint in a pub.

Uniforms reflect the organisation and represent the job you're doing.

How hard is it to put civvies on? Are they that lazy? Or are they hoping patriotic parons will buy them a drink - is that it?

[craft1948]

Loads of policeman used to come into the local near their station when they'd come off 2-10 shift. They just used to take off their ties and wear a civvy jacket...no probs.
York is a garrison city and as far back as the 60's I can remember some pubs having 'No sqaddies' signs in their windows.

[tigerlily11]

I was born and raised in ALdershot.
Discrimination was rife there. If soldiers went into certain areas the likelyhood was they would get the u know what kicked out of them. We all knew where the army pubs and zones were. So most of the fights were in these areas because the civvies didn't know when to keep out. The only safe civvie was a female civvie.
It is not an unkown thing at all.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I assumed that the request the 'punch' pub chain had received not to serve squaddies while they were in uniform was to keep the forces low key whilst they weren't on duty for their own and members of the public's protection. Keep terrorists from noticing them, kind of thing. Am I not correct in this?

[New Judge]

Yes, Quinlad, uniforms do reflect the organisation for which one works.

However, I’m a bit perplexed why you seem to equate “swigging cider down the park” with “having a pint in the pub”.

Swigging cider down the park conjures up an image of a bunch of winos sitting on a park bench drinking to excess and could be seen as anti-social. Having a pint (or indeed an orange juice) in a pub seems a little less so and I cannot understand why it is that pubs seem to be out of bounds as far as respectability goes.