Oldham

Oldham pub apologises for saying breastfeeding in a pub on a Friday night was ‘not acceptable’

'We are upset and deeply sorry'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 10th August 2022

A pub in Oldham has issued a lengthy apology after telling a customer that breastfeeding their baby on a Friday night was ‘not acceptable’.

The Angel Inn in Lees had been responding to a negative review from a customer, who had claimed they were told to leave as children and dogs were not allowed in the pub after a certain hour.

The scathing review blasted the pub for ‘shocking customer service’ and ‘money grabbing behaviour’.

The Angel Inn responded to the reviewer: “You also proceeded to breast feed your baby in a pub at 8.30 on a friday night whilst drinking strong alcoholic spirits that is not acceptable,” – a statement that they have since apologised for.

The initial review left for The Angel Inn. Credit: Facebook

The pub claims that the group of four adults, two dogs and a baby arrived and ordered drinks before it was noted that they had animals and an underage person in their party.

ADVERTISEMENT

They say that pub staff allowed the group to stay and finish their drinks and told them they would need to leave afterwards, but that the group ‘totally took advantage’.

The Angel Inn posted: “They [dogs and children] are not allowed in on a friday night at 8.30pm but seen as one of your members of the party ordered drinks before mentioning you had dogs our staff happily allowed you to stay to have the one drink to which your party totally too advantage off by dragging it out as long as possible, playing pool and lying all your coats on the floor of the tap room for the dogs.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Their response continued: “You also proceeded to breast feed your baby in a pub at 8.30 on a friday night whilst drinking strong alcoholic spirits that is not acceptable but yet again as my staff are polite they still offered to let you atay and deink your drink to which they did not have too.”

After receiving backlash from people for their breastfeeding comment, The Angel Inn issued a public apology, saying they are ‘upset and deeply sorry for any distress caused’.

They wrote: “We would like to publicly apologise for a comment made earlier by myself which I worded wrong and understandably caused offence. Myself and the staff working here have absolutely and rightly so no problem with breastfeeding, and that is not what the issue is about.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Rather than responding to the private messages and comments we are receiving I’d like to address the situation publicly.

“A group came to our establishment yesterday evening whilst I wasn’t on the premises and was served by my staff. The situation was not handled in our best interest as regrettably the group was served within hours that we do not allow children or animals on the premises for the safety reasons. We had a large band due to start and the group came in with two large dogs and a newborn baby. They was asked to move into the taproom (a quieter area) and told they could finish their drinks however they needed to leave soon due to our license.

“The group was clearly unhappy about this which is why the initial bad review has been made, please accept my apologies for the bad use of words made toward breastfeeding as that is not what was meant, my staff informed me that the woman breastfeeding was drinking spirits and the group was drunk with a newborn baby which encouraged my response to the initial complaint (worded wrong which is why I’m apologising as these are not my views).

Read more: Manchester shelter Dogs 4 Rescue in ‘desperate situation’ after being overwhelmed by abandoned pets

“The group took advantage of our lenience with regards to our rules by drinking at their leisure and proceeding to play games of pool after being informed again they needed to drink up.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Upon reflection, we understand the group should not have been served in the first place which is something we will address with our team.

“Please be mindful that whilst you slander the business, tagging newspapers and private messaging the owners with threats and insults, the livelihood of many people is at risk which is unfair based on a comment made by one person. As owners, we put our hearts and souls into this pub. We are upset and deeply sorry for any distress caused by this situation.”

Featured image: Google Maps

Oldham

Bury FC legend Nicky Adams confirms retirement after more than two decades

Danny Jones Danny Jones Nicky Adams retiring from football

Bury FC is saying goodbye to a veteran of Greater Manchester football as local legend Nicky Adams has announced he will be retiring at the end of the season.

The Bolton-born midfielder has enjoyed a 22-year career, playing for 10 different clubs in that time, most notably Bury, where he began as an academy product and earned his first senior minutes back in 2005.

Having been with the club across four different stints and by far the largest chunk of his playing days, making more than 200 appearances for the North West Counties side, he’s practically part of the furniture at this point.

But the time has finally come, as Adams revealed he will be retiring from professional football at the age of 38 – his longevity being an incredible achievement in itself.

Confirmed via a club statement on Tuesday, 15 April, the Shakers informed fans that Adams, who returned to his home club back in December, will be able to toast hanging up his boots with a promotion party if they avoid defeat against Burscough.

Adams has represented several other Greater Manchester teams in the past too, playing 85 games for Rochdale and 59 for Oldham Athletic, as well as 88 for Radcliffe FC.

Having scored 14 goals during his time with Bury, as well as serving as club captain, he told the club: “I think it’s perfect timing for me, I’m learning the coaching side of it. I’ve been doing that for the last few years, and I’ve got a big opportunity to go and do that full-time now.

“I came here at 16 years old; I’ve come back a few times now, I’ve played over 200 games for the football club, I don’t need to tell anyone what it means to me.

“I’ve had some unbelievable times here, and I’ll be forever grateful to this football club, which gave me the opportunity to go and be a professional footballer and go on the journey that I’ve been on. I’m forever grateful for that.”

Speaking on his return late last year, it’s plain to see how big an impression Gigg Lane has left on him.

He may be calling time on his playing days, but he’s not going anywhere.

Manager Dave McNabb went on to say: “I’m not really sure how to put into words the impact that Nicky has had on me and this group since he walked back through the door in December.

“His legendary status at this football club is well-known and documented. I had heard a lot of good things about his character and his personality through mutual friends and people within the game, so I knew he was going to be a good lad and have a positive impact in the dressing room.

Even with this knowledge, never did I expect to meet such an honest and caring man with enormous levels of integrity and with such high standards and principles. He’s a leader amongst men. When he talks, people listen. He gets the best out of others.

He is trusted and respected by everyone. He drives positive relationships within the group. He is the glue that holds things together. I’m proud to have brought him back to HIS football club, I’m proud to have played a very small part in his illustrious career but most of all, I’m proud to be able to call him a friend.

Signing off with a sentiment, McNabb added: “Good luck Nicky, you’re a legend.”

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Bury FC (via club website)

Oldham

Onlookers ‘in tears’ after tiny duckling rescued from storm drain in beauty spot

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The RSPCA has shared a video of a tiny duckling being rescued from a storm drain

The RSPCA has shared a heartwarming video of a reunion between a tiny duckling and his mum, after the baby bird fell into a storm drain.

The charity, with the help of staff in the nearby Grandpa Greene’s Luxury Ice Cream Parlour, managed to fish the tiny bird out of the storm drain in a painstaking two-hour-long operation.

Miraculously, the duckling was unharmed, and his mum was waiting nearby on the canal in Saddleworth ready to be reunited with her baby.

The RSPCA has now thanked the staff member who helped rescue the duckling, and issued a warning to the public to keep dogs on a lead when near wildlife, believing the poor bird was chased by a dog before falling down the five-feet-high grid.

The rescue operation too place in Diggle last Wednesday 9 April, with Animal Rescue Officer Lee Ferrans taking on the ‘long and painstaking’ process of tempting the duckling into a net.     

Lee said: “I wasn’t able to lift the grid so the only thing I could do was push an extendable pole straight down and try to catch the duckling in a net. There wasn’t a lot of room for manoeuvre and the net kept catching on all the debris.

“Just when I thought I’d been successful, the duckling kept disappearing into a drain on one side and then popping out again. A member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s had just finished her shift and came across to the other side of the canal to help me. I unscrewed the top of the pole with the net and held it down on one side of the drain while she used another section to gently encourage the bird to go into the net.

“It was quite a long and painstaking rescue but we eventually managed to bring the little one back up safely after more than two hours.”

The pair then placed the duckling into a cardboard box before heading further up the canal to reunite them with their mother and six sibling ducklings.

The adult duck ‘instantly recognised’ the chirping and swam straight towards it.

Lee added: “A little crowd had gathered and as the family were reunited people were shedding tears. It was a really lovely moment to see them all back together.

“I’d especially like to thank the member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s who offered an extra pair of hands – I couldn’t have done it without her – and to all the people in the area who stopped and were concerned.

“Storm drains can be a bit of a menace for ducklings, especially at this time of the year when there are babies around, and this brood was only a few days old.”

Read more

Featured image: RSPCA

More Oldham

Bolton

Five of the best sunset walks in and around Greater Manchester

Crime

Police launch investigation after a 19-year-old is stabbed in broad daylight at an Oldham retail park

Albion Farm Shop's huge breakfasts

Eats

Farm shops are cool now – and Albion Farm Shop is the best of the best

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches