Steak complaint sees Blaenporth pensioner banned from Wetherspoons

Ken Pedrick and his wife, who is also in her 70s, had visited Yr Hen Dderwen Wetherspoons pub in Carmarthen on Wednesday, April 19.

Mr Pedrick eats regularly at the pub and has previously left it glowing five star reviews on Trip Advisor calling it ‘outstanding’, describing the staff as ‘friendly and professional’ and the food as ‘very well-cooked and very tasty’.

On this occasion he and his wife both ordered steaks which were described as ‘seasoned’ on the menu, however when they came it transpired that they had been flavoured with garlic which Mr Pedrick’s wife has a serious allergy to.

She took a bite of the steak, realised that it was ‘smothered in garlic’ and luckily had her epi pen with her.

Mr Pedrick has been banned from Yr Hen Dderwen Wetherspoons pub in Carmarthen after complaining about the steak. (Image: Philip Halling licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.)

Mr Pedrick, an ex-chef and war veteran who lives in Blaenporth, raised the issue with the manager, saying that the menu described the steaks as ‘seasoned’ which he understood meant with salt and pepper. He did not check the allergy screen because of the use of the word ‘seasoned’.

“Garlic is a flavouring not a seasoning. I just said told the manager it was not seasoned,” he said.

He also sent his own steak back as it was ‘tough as old shoe leather’ but nibbled on some of the chips that came with it while he waited for another one.

“We are both ex chefs,” said Mr Pedrick. “Seasoned means with salt and pepper. We told the manager that they had got it [the menu description] wrong and said that we would like to take it up with Wetherspoons headquarters.”

During the course of his correspondence with the company’s head office, Mr Pedrick was told that the manager of Yr Hen Dderwen had decided retrospectively to ban Mr Pedrick from the pub because of his ‘aggressive behaviour’.

“I just said to the manager, not aggressively, that the steak was covered in garlic,” said Mr Pedrick.

“The most aggressive act I accomplished was trying to cut the dratted steak.”

An email sent to him reads: “We note your comments regarding your visit to the Yr Hen Dderwen. However, the manager has advised that they do not wish you to return to the pub due to your aggressive behaviour.

It goes on to say that pubs are open to the public solely at the discretion of the licence holder and manager who is legally entitled to decide who is allowed to enter their premises and who is not.

“While we appreciate that you are not happy with the decision we will not be overturning it,” reads the email. “We consider this matter closed and will not be entering into any further communication.”

Mr Pedrick is extremely disappointed to have been retrospectively banned from the pub and is suggesting that the management check the CCTV footage for evidence of his ‘aggressive manner’.

“We’ve never been banned from anywhere,” he said. “I feel quite offended by this to be honest.

Mr Pedrick has been banned from Wetherspoons after he complained about the steak. (Image: Newsquest)

“I didn’t throw pint pots around, I didn’t rip my clothes off. I didn’t even complain when the food came out late.

“I spoke to the manager for no more than three minutes at the bar when I informed him that I was going to contact headquarters about the wording of 'seasoning/flavouring' on the menu following the garlic incident.”

He said that he and his wife regularly eat at Wetherspoons.

“It is good value for money,” he said. “I have written good reports about the place on Trip Advisor.”

A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said: “We will review our menu description to see if it needs alteration to make clear that the seasoning we use is more than just salt and pepper, as the customer assumed.

“The ingredients of all our menu items are available via our app or the dedicated allergen screen in all our pubs.

“We would advise customers to check before ordering any dish if they have a food intolerance or allergy.

"The manner in which the concern was raised, however, and that of his subsequent correspondence with the company, has meant that we do not consider it appropriate for him to visit the pub again.”