"SERVE ME OR I WILL KICK THE SH*T OUT OF YOU!!"

[customersruinmylife]

I've had a few days off. I get into work and there is a notice up on the wall, along with a print out of shot taken off our security cameras. Under the print out, it said "DO NOT SERVE THIS MAN. HIS NAME IS JOHN SMITH* AND HE IS BANNED FOR LIFE"

*His name is not actually John Smith. Obviously.

John Smith was a regular customer, but he was on his last warning about this behaviour. He always seems to be caught up in fights, but always claims he is the innocent one and that he was started on. He was also banned from several other pubs in town for his loutish behaviour. In short, he was an idiotic chav. I went to a manager and asked what he was banned for. Turns out, he got caught up in another fight the other night, and we had it all on camera that he was the one that started it. He threw a punch at a completely innocent man and then ran for it. As he ran, the manager told him to never return.

So, there I am, quite unhappily serving behind the bar. I look up, and who is right in front of me?

John Smith.

Me: I'm sorry John, but you have been banned for your behaviour. Can you please leave?
SC: WHAT? WHAT? WHAT HAVE I BEEN BANNED FOR?
Me: For punching that guy the other night.
SC: HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT! YOU WEREN'T EVEN HERE!
Me: That doesn't matter. I have been intructed not to serve you.
SC: YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BAN ME! YOU DIDN'T SEE WHAT HAPPENED!
Me: I am not serving you. If you want to take this further, you will have to speak to the manager who was working on Wednesday night.
SC: I WAS THE INNOCENT VICTIM!
Me: Not according to our security cameras.
SC: I DEMAND YOU SHOW ME THIS FOOTAGE!
Me: No. You are not going back there.
SC: THEN I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE EVIDENCE! I DEMAND YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAVE BANNED ME!
Me: I have already explained this to you and I am not going to explain myself to you any further.
SC: I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS IN PRIVATE WITHOUT ALL THESE PEOPLE AROUND!
Me: I will not do that. You are being aggressive and I would rather have witnesses.
SC: IF YOU DON'T SERVE ME I WILL KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!
Me: And now we have another reason to keep you banned. Can you please leave?
SC: YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU CAN'T KEEP ME BANNED!
Me: Like I said, you will have to take this up with a member of seniour management. But until then, you are banned.
SC: I'LL KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!
Me: OK then. You do that.
SC: COME FROM AROUND THAT BAR AND TALK TO ME LIKE A MAN!
Me: I'm quite happy where I am, thank you.
SC: YOU CHEEKY LITTLE SHIT, JUST YOU WAIT.
Me: That's fine. Are you going now?

He started walking towards the door.

SC: YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO KEEP ME BANNED! JUST YOU WAIT! I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!
Me: You just threatened me in front of a dozen witnesses, and I have your name, John Smith. And the cameras also caught all of this. Are you really going to carry out your threat?
SC: YOU CHEEKY SHIT! YOU CHEEKY LITTLE SHIT!

He walked out the doors, cursing as he stormed out.

The next four or five customers in line congratulated me on the way I handled it. To be honest, I am so surprised about the way I handled it. At the moment I have a really short fuse when it comes to SC's, and I didn't lose it once! A cool customer walked up to me.

CC: How the hell did you handle that idiot? You have the best anger management I have ever seen! You did it all with a smile on your face! I would have killed him!

I don't think I've seen the last of him. Like I said, he was an arse-hole regular customer. I finished work today and the manager taking over from me said:

Manager: God, I bet I have to turf him out later tonight!

[blas]

I have a question for you, since you're not American. Do you have a form of probation like we do in the states, or otherwise people that are on a "no drink"? I may be stereotyping, but I have a feeling that John Smith may be a person who legally cannot be in taverns.....

Sometimes around here, the cops even know who is banned from bars, even if they aren't in legal trouble with alcohol.

[customersruinmylife]

I think the closest thing we have in the UK are ASBOs. They are called Anti-Social Behaviour Orders in which people get banned from certain places (like town centres, shops, bars) But they rarely seem to work. As far as I know, John Smith does not have one. Usually if someone recieves one, their faces are put on posters and distrubuted around town (we have three hanging in our office)

[crazylegs]

I have a question for you, since you're not American. Do you have a form of probation like we do in the states, or otherwise people that are on a "no drink"? I may be stereotyping, but I have a feeling that John Smith may be a person who legally cannot be in taverns.....

As has been stated, ASBOs and ABCs (Anti Social Behaviour Orders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) can ban people from set roads, shops or even an entire town.

It can be a condition of probation not to attend a bar but that's exceptionally rare (as in really really really rare), normally conditions of probabtion are to meet with your probation officer and keep your nose clean.

There are in some towns Behave Or be Banned (BOB) schemes, which are entirely civil law based (trespass in the UK is a civil matter rather than a criminal one).

However this male has commited a public order offence by using threatning words to put another in fear of violence, and by the sounds of things it's something that's happened before, might be worth a ring to your local constabulary on their non emergency number. Yes he may only get a Penalty Notice for Disorder (on the spot £80 fine) but it's better than nothing!

[ditchdj]

However this male has commited a public order offence by using threatning words to put another in fear of violence

Over here that is a criminal offense called "menacing". Menacing basically says that you did OR said something to someone that can make that person become fearful of their life or well-being. Usually a misdemeanor, though, with a token jail sentence and fine or probation.

[Crossbow]

Over here that is a criminal offense called "menacing". Menacing basically says that you did OR said something to someone that can make that person become fearful of their life or well-being. Usually a misdemeanor, though, with a token jail sentence and fine or probation.

Based on the quote, menacing is correct, a 4th degree misdemeanor. If he'd been a bit more specific with the thread ("I'm going to kick your head in!" or something) it would count as aggravated menacing (at least in my state, anyway). That gets up to 6 months in jail...

[princess4life]

Where I live companies have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason.

Anytime someone has been banned from my work and tries to tell me I can't legally do that I just use the line:

"We are privately owned and we have the right to refuse service to anyone, we have chosen to refuse it to you."

[bainsidhe]

Ok, so if the other guy was innocent, why isn't he pressing charges? I figure that'd be a great way to press your ban. He's loud and aggressive, people witnessed the incident, AND it's on tape.

[nuthing12]

Sounds like he needs a dose of police. You should have called them, headache or not to do so. If he in fact does come back after getting hammered and obsessing about the exchange, you'll be wishing you had.

[customersruinmylife]

Ok, so if the other guy was innocent, why isn't he pressing charges? I figure that'd be a great way to press your ban. He's loud and aggressive, people witnessed the incident, AND it's on tape.

I actually quizzed the manager that was on duty that night about this, and he said the other guy just wanted to forget about it and leave. The manager kept insisting that he speak to the police, but he said he just wanted to go home and left.

Maybe they knew each other...maybe not. But it still doesn't justify punching someone in a public place. It also happened quite early in the evening and several families witnessed the event.

[tropicsgoddess]

You handled it well, CRML. I was wondering, in some areas if you ban a customer you can sic the cops on them for trespassing if you can do that next that asshole comes by (or tries to).

[dougall]

Pubs in the UK are treated as a private address that is allowed to serve alcohol to the public so the landlord can ban anyone as it is his house.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Pubs in the UK are treated as a private address that is allowed to serve alcohol to the public so the landlord can ban anyone as it is his house.

On the trivia side, "pub" is short for "public house."

[jjllbb]

I would have been so scared getting home after my shift. Sounds like the type of crazy person who'd crouch behind your car waiting for you like a psycho.

Keep us updated! If he ever comes back, ever approaches you again, etc.

[fireheart]

Good job on handling the bastard. I'm willing to bet that he claimed it was his "twin" that did it and that he's getting unfair treatment if you DID show the footage.

At work, we can and have banned customers, but I can't always pick them by name let alone face. My supervisors do that though :P