- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
TdY LottoNL Jumbo 08Boston pub allegedly attempts to charge cyclist customers for tap water
A pub is being investigated by Boston Borough Council licensing department after staff allegedly tried to charge two cyclists for tap water. Hannah Spencer and her friend had bought lunch at the Witham Tavern in Boston on June 21 but were then told that there would be a charge for filling their water bottles.
Addressing the pub on Facebook, Spencer wrote:
“I’m the cyclist who had lunch with my friend at your pub yesterday. We cycled close to 150 miles that day and could have stopped anywhere but chose your cute looking tavern by the river.
“After paying for our food, we asked politely to have our water bottles filled. You told us there was a charge for this and that you charge £1.20 for each glass of tap water. Due to your minimum £10 card spend and the fact that we had already paid for food, it would have cost us £10 to have bottles filled with tap water.
“It was not only mean to refuse free water to two young, sunburnt cyclists: I have now found out this is also illegal under the licensing act. You have now been reported. Have a nice day.”
Woman charges cyclist £3 after filling water bottle - then tips it out when he can't pay
Speaking to road.cc, she added: “It seemed like the pub owner just hated cyclists because she had a bottle open and started to walk towards the tap but then said, ‘Oh, I'll have to charge you for this,’ just before she got there.”
Boston council licensing department has told Spencer that they are investigating the pub and that she should hear the outcome in the next few days.
Stung by her experience, Spencer also added a review to Trip Advisor, to which the owner responded:
“I am sorry you feel this way, unfortunately we are not breaking the law, you asked first to have your 2 large bottles filled and then your friend asked, my staff have to be paid to serve and the water is on a meter, I am sure there are lots of pubs that charge for large bottles of water. My staff was very pleasant and did say we sell bottles of water for £1.20 which is of course is far better than tap water. We hope you enjoyed your bike ride home.”
In response to that, Spencer told us: “We repeatedly said we wanted free tap water and they refused.”
The Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order 2010 provides that “the responsible person” – that is, the licensee, supervisor or a person authorised by them – “shall ensure that free tap water is provided on request to customers where it is reasonably available."
There is no stipulation in the legislation that the water must be consumed on the premises, nor does it exclude customers providing their own receptacles for it.
However, following a similar incident last October, a member of Dulwich Paragon said that police had sided with the pub owner.
Arthur Tye said that he and a group of fellow cyclists had bought a round of drinks and bar snacks but staff had refused to fill water bottles at the bar unless they spent £50 on food.
“Police said that they were within their rights to ask anybody they wished to leave their property at any time, and that they were under no obligation to provide us with tap water.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- Car Delenda Est 1 sec ago
Thinking about Mikey and other cyclists who upload their incident footage it seems that the issue is people assume they're 'content creators' who...
- Paul J 56 min 56 sec ago
That's good to know! Thanks. Good looking frame have to say.
- Geoff H 2 hours 18 min ago
"Athletes will do dumb things to improve performance, that's a given. So it's the organizer of the sport who can slow them down, by simply making...
- Hirsute 4 hours 25 min ago
Exposed uk dash cam go with another cyclist opener "You were in my blind spot" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpjBscBScPg
- David9694 5 hours 49 min ago
Teenage boy charged with drink driving after car crashed into telegraph pole...
- wtjs 6 hours 6 min ago
My dealer even said we could ask for different crank length and chainring sizes if we wanted, so we did. Spanking new Ultegra cranks and rings for...
Add new comment
26 comments
And onwards to the cycling equivalent of Godwin's law we go...
So, were they wearing helmets?
"...and the water is on a meter..." - doesn't matter, surely?
They have a legal obligation to offer it if asked.
I wonder what effect it would have if pubs that take this attitude were visited by lots of people asking for a glass of tap water, without spending any money, just for fun!
So ah... sportive some weekend down Boston then folks, ahem..
Oh - Boston, Lincolnshire! I'd seen the headline and thought Boston, Mass.
Thats just stupid, the amount of places I stop for coffee and they will ask if I want my bottles filled as well... If a place tried to charge me I'd leave and never go back
It looks like the landlord has wanted to convert the pub into flats, but failed to get planning permission, so the highest standards of customer service may no longer be her highest priority. But she doesn't appear to be a cyclist hater like that prick in Suffolk last year.
I would go back and clog the toilet. That would teach them.
If it's a place I don't know, I sometimes ask for the bottles to be filled at the same time as ordering a drink/food.
If they then refuse (as has happened), I just cancel the order and find somewhere else.
But it's pretty bloody petty of any food/drink outlet to refuse tap water. Just a way to lose business.
Its easy for us Australians because MacDonalds are every few kilometres. They will give any amount of free water, plus most put ice in them. I've tested it out, really good for our stinken hot summers.
Most of "mineral" water sold in UK is P.W.S. anyway...
http://metro.co.uk/2015/10/28/pepsico-admits-its-aquafina-water-is-just-tap-water-5467530/
I think the business are incredibly lucky that they can afford to be so picky these days.
The amount of money that small cafes make from cyclists is growing all the time, a number of the ones that we use now provide cycle racks and track pumps. If we time it wrong the queues of cyclists are going out of the doors at some venues.
It is a shame that they had paid for their meal, as they may have already given them a tip.
There was an incident like this last year. The landlord had already filled the bottles, but when they said they werent paying, he poured it all down the sink.
Having worked in retail and in catering, I can tell you that being courteous and going the extra mile did mean repeat business and it also made me feel better as a person!
I stopped off at a pub onece, on the most insanely hot day, and asked for a refill. They did, without complaint, but with hot water. Sort of passive-aggressive, that, or accidental. I like to think the latter.
You should have asked for a tea bag.
Of course one of the benefits of cycling in Boston is the sound of banjos wherever you go
It's just.. mean and angsty and.. odd. What sort of goat-fondler would refuse free tap water. Especially after they paid you for something.
Witham Tavern, no birthday card for you.
To counter this, I used a lovely cafe in Yorkshire a few days ago and they actually offered to fill my bottles, I didn't even have to ask. And yes, it was free!
I called in at The Kirkstone Pass Inn once asking for a refill and they tried to charge me 10p. I pointed out that I only had a debit card on me by that point (having spent all my cash earlier in the ride) and eventually they relented. It was a baking hot day though so it would have been rather difficult for them to refuse under those circumstances...
How is bottled water at £1.20 far better than tap water?
Anyway it's not good PR for the pub. How many requests do they get every week?
Probably thought they were immigrants.
Erm... no. British tap water has to pass far higher safety standards than any bottled water. Bottled water is the biggest joke on the public around, not to mention the millions of gallons of diesel wasted trucking the stuff all over the place.
Yes, but if cyclists are gullible enough to shell out hundreds of pounds for decorative pieces of plastic to put on their heads, it's a fair bet that they are gullible enough to shell out a quid or two for a bottle of water.
I never had this problem, but wouldn't it be easier to just go to the bathroom and use the tap there?
Not necessarily potable water from a bathroom/toilet as it could be fed from a cistern, I've seen some pretty horrific things in these.