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.
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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.”
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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.
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“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).
“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.
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“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
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you’re at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third-party app, Recycle at Boots, uses a ‘Scan2Recycle‘ system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can’t usually be recycled at home, such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you’ve followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store at your nearest location, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you’re also an eco-warrior.
There’s even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, which gives customers 100 Advantage Points when they spend £5 in-store.
Brilliant.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood, with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Manchester Market Street – 32 Market Street, M1 1PL
Salford Regent Park – Regents Park, M5 3TP
Manchester Didsbury – 736-740 Wilmslow Road, M20 2DW
The Trafford Centre – 10 Peel Avenue, M17 8BD
Trafford Retail Park – Neary Way, M41 7FN
If you’re up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
Oldham Athletic’s next game postponed amid red weather warnings
Danny Jones
Oldham Athletic FC’s next game has been postponed amid red weather warnings, with a frozen pitch having already set in.
We suspect they won’t be the only ones either…
Oldham Athletic were set to take on Notts County FC at home this weekend, with the upcoming fixture set for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday, 10 January, but the state of the Boundary Park stadium’s playing surface has already been declared unfit for use.
Informing the fans of the unfortunate decision, the rescheduled date and time for the match remain yet to be confirmed.
Saturday's home fixture against Notts County has been postponed due to a frozen pitch. #oafc
Addressing supporters online, OAFC wrote: “An inspection took place on Thursday afternoon with the pitch frozen following persistent freezing temperatures since our last home game on New Year’s Day and further adverse weather forecast.
“The inspection was called due to persistent freezing temperatures and in anticipation of further adverse weather between now and kick-off. Tickets will remain valid for the rearranged date, and refunds can be claimed after the new date is confirmed.”
As for Notts County, they have also updated their fans on social media.
They have assured that “tickets purchased for this fixture will [also] be valid for the rearranged date” and that “supporters who require a refund will be able to do so after the date for the rearranged fixture is announced.”
Postponement comes amid parts of Oldham, Greater Manchester and other areas across the country being hit with severe weather warnings, which have now been upgraded from an initial yellow rating.
2026’s first named storm, the weather event dubbed by Goretti by the French meteorological service, is set to bring further frosty conditions and blustery winds to us Brits.
The UK received its first snowfall of the year earlier this month, but this next pattern of cold air is set to see even more arrive, with the forecast potentially running into next week.
As for the Latics, the 15th-placed League Two team will have to wait until their ground thaws out to try and make up ground between them and the play-off spots.
Worth keeping an eye on the Met Office if you were planning a trip to the footy over the next few days.
Daisy Jackson -
10th August 2022 
