Licensees fined for barring gypsy

A licensee couple have been fined £1,000 after a gypsy was refused admission to their pub.

Licensees Diana and Graham Russell were found guilty of discrimination for stopping Hawthorne Price coming into the White Bear in Middlewich, Cheshire.

Mr Price, 19, claimed he was told gypsies were banned when door staff refused him admission. Mr Price, who has lived in the area most of his life, returned the next day with his father and was again told he was barred.

The case against the White Bear was bought with the support of the Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Racial Equality Council.

The fine was imposed by Manchester County Court, with the Russells also ordered to pay £120 costs.

The couple have denied discriminating against gypsies or travellers. At the time of the incident they were managing the pub for the previous owner before taking over the pub themselves, and said they were enforcing a specific ban on Mr Price imposed by the owner.

• The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) has launched a campaign to tackle what it says is widespread discrimination against gypsies and travellers.

Sarah Spencer deputy chair of the CRE, said: "Discrimination against gypsies and travellers appears to be the last 'respectable' form of racism. It is still considered acceptable to put up No Traveller signs in pubs and shops and to make blatantly prejudiced remarks."

Despite Ms Spencer's comment, 'No Travellers' signs have been illegal in pubs since August 2000, when the Central London County Court ruled in that a sign discriminated against the Irish. At the time, police warned pubs not to be 'panicked' into refusing to serve known troublemakers.