Wetherspoons bans England flags from its pubs during World Cup but will allow fans to wear football shirts after outcry

Popular pub chain Wetherspoons has banned staff from flying the St George Cross during the World Cup.
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The Three Lions are kicking off their campaign this evening in Volgograd against Tunisia, but if you were to pop into your local Spoons over the coming month you won’t see them drapped in England flags.

Wetherspoons has banned staff from hanging the St George Cross behind the bar in all of its pubs across the country during the World Cup, although bunting containing all of the teams taking part in the competition have been distributed.

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A pub chain told The Express: ‘We wouldn’t want an England flag being put up in the heart of a pub by a staff member.

Wetherspoons has banned staff from putting up England flagsPicture: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty ImagesWetherspoons has banned staff from putting up England flagsPicture: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
Wetherspoons has banned staff from putting up England flagsPicture: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

‘Whether flags are put up in staff rooms is up to the discretion of the manager.

‘We have sent all pubs bunting, which includes flags of all the teams.’

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As well as banning flags it was also reported yesterday that Wetherspoons ‘would support’ managers who refused to serve fans wearing the Three Lions shirt during the World Cup.

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Leading to outragged England fans threatening to boycott the chain on social media.

One person tweeted: ‘No England shirts allowed in Wetherspoons during World Cup...idiots, say goodbye to all that extra profit then.’

Another wrote: ‘Wetherspoons banning England flags and shirts in England. Probably the most idiotic business proposal of all time. What is next? the church banning crosses inside the church. Enough of the PC garbage and let English people be proud to be English. Non debatable.’

However Wetherspoons have now said there will be ‘no restrictions’ on fans wearing England shirts in pubs during the World Cup.

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The Mirror Online reports that a spokesman for the chain said: ‘We have told managers at each of our pubs that there should be no restrictions on customers wearing football shirts during the world cup.’

Wetherspoons announced last week that it would be taking Champagne and German beer off their menu in the run-up to Brexit, replacing them with more British and non-EU sparkling wines and beers.

England play Tunisia at 7pm tonight in their first group game at Russia 2018.

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