Pub brands Shirebrook dad a 'beggar' in mash fiasco

A community is shocked after a pub boss responded to a customer complaint by calling them a 'beggar' and 'belittling the work of food-banks'.
Rufford customer David Scott, from Shirebrook told of his ordeal at the pub.Rufford customer David Scott, from Shirebrook told of his ordeal at the pub.
Rufford customer David Scott, from Shirebrook told of his ordeal at the pub.

Shirebrook dad, David Scott contacted the Rufford in Mansfield to complain about his experience after being thrown out of the pub with his family.

David, a sales manager aged 27, attended the pub on Saturday, November 5 and with family and upon ordering food he asked for a bowl to give his one-year-old daughter some mashed potato and gravy.

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An employee refused, some say quite rightly. But when the pub responded to his complaint they resorted to name-calling and belittling language, which has prompted outrage from hundreds of people who have been responding to the story on social media.

The Rufford pub, in Mansfield. (Image: Google).The Rufford pub, in Mansfield. (Image: Google).
The Rufford pub, in Mansfield. (Image: Google).

David messaged them on Facebook to say: "Great customer service at the Rufford pub. All i wanted was a bowl of mash and gravy for my one year old girl."

Dee, an employee of the pub, responded to the dad over Facebook: "I don't want beggars in my pub. Thanks your comments. This is rufford not mansfield food bank. Find somewhere else. I'm Dee. Complaint what ever you want" (sic).

David spoke to the Chad after his ordeal and told the full story.

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He said: "Me, my girlfriend, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and my daughter went in and ordered our meals. The guy behind the bar had a bit of a strop on him. After I ordered my meals I said is there any chance I could have a bowl with a bit of mashed potato for my little girl. He said: ' No. If you want that you can pay for it'.

Screenshots show how the pub responded to David's complaint.Screenshots show how the pub responded to David's complaint.
Screenshots show how the pub responded to David's complaint.

"He wanted me to pay for a £5.95 for a carvery for a one-year-old. I said 'if that's your attitude I don't want anything from you' and he said 'get out my pub'."

The family later went for lunch at the Fox & Crown in Sutton and David said when he asked for mash and gravy for his daughter they charged a pound.

he added: "I'm fine with paying a pound - but I've been into the Rufford so many times and not once have they asked me to pay for it.

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"I find it ironic that the pub is holding a charity evening, but they'll say then turnaround and say something like 'we're not Mansfield Foodbank'.

The Rufford pub, in Mansfield. (Image: Google).The Rufford pub, in Mansfield. (Image: Google).
The Rufford pub, in Mansfield. (Image: Google).

We asked the manager of the Rufford for comment and the pub directed us to Marston's, who work with the owner on a franchise basis.

The company said in a statement: “We are aware that a customer had a problem at the pub and we have contacted them directly to resolve this.”

They also confirmed that a letter of apology is being sent to David.

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Some 500 commenters have discussed the story in Facebook, many showing their outrage at how David and his family were treated.

Screenshots show how the pub responded to David's complaint.Screenshots show how the pub responded to David's complaint.
Screenshots show how the pub responded to David's complaint.

Emma Pay said on Facebook: "Refusing you is one thing but to belittle you and call you a beggar and then to devalue the work of food banks and their struggling customers by using it as an insult is sickening.

"He won't give out a bowl of mash and gravy yet a pub in Sutton let a community take over his pub to help find a missing girl," she added, referring to the volunteers who have been working out of the Rose & Crown in Sutton in the search for Melanie Wilson. "I know which pub landlord I would rather give my money to."