can a pub owner refuse to serve someone after he has served them once,and not give a reason for it?

Question

This happend to two friends of mine the other day. They were not loud or abusive not breaking any smoking law,it was only their second drink when he refused,. when they asked why the owner said he didnt have to give a reason is this so ?

Answer 1

You can try to file a complaint if you want, but you won't get anywhere. If you don't like the owner's policy, you are free to visit another pub. Being a private establishment, the owner is free to set any rules he wants with regards to lawful treatment of customers and enforce them as he pleases. He doesn't have to have (or provide) a reason, although depending on the circumstances it might be a poor business decision to do so.

Answer 2

Great answers already given, but they missed one very important point. That is the civil responsibility placed on the owner and all staff of any establishment that serves alcohol. Whether your friends drank anywhere else before going there, it's that establishment's legal responsibility to (1) not serve alcohol to anyone who appears to be even a little bit intoxicated, *and* (2) regardless where the patron obtained his booze, to do everything reasonably possible to prevent that patron from injury. That could mean as a pedestrian or worse, as a driver. Civil courts have awarded obscene amounts of money from normally very responsible bar owners and staff when such a patron gets injured or causes injury after leaving. Sure, the (even slightly) intoxicated patron will be found a percentage responsible, but the main award will come from the bar. Perhaps this was their way of meeting that responsibility. As for the bar staff not giving a reason, they probably just didn't want to cause a scene by telling your friends that they appeared to be intoxicated. Another possibility is that the bar staff knew that a liquor inspector was sitting there and just didn't want to take a chance. Whatever the reason, you can be darn sure it was a good one ... why would a drinking establishment not want to sell drinks? Tell your friend's to just let it go. Good luck to them and to you!!

Answer 3

A bar usually posts a sign that says that they have the right to refuse service to anyone. If you look around, in a bar & some other places as well, you will see this posted. In a bar, I can understand, unless it is racial discrimination, because a bartender & owner are responsible for the amount of liquor they serve to people. They have a right to cut people off if they feel that they have had enough to drink. Your friends may have had only two drinks in that bar, but had they consumed drinks at other places or in the car? In any event, a bar does have the right to stop serving anyone as long as they have approached them in a manner that indicates they are willing to serve them. They then can make a determination as to their condition before serving them.

Answer 4

They can refuse any one for any reason. We used to refuse people at our bar if we knew they were previous trouble makers or they looked like undercover cops.

Answer 5

If they were drunk they can be refused. You say they were ordering their second drink but they may have been coming from another place where they were drinking also.

Answer 6

an owner has the right to give and or refuse service to anyone..

Answer 7

of course they can
if you work on my car does that mean you are obligated to work on it any time i say, or can you refuse?