A Belfast bar has justified its decision to deny entry to an electrician for wearing work attire. Graham, the owner of an alarm company, shared his experience of being turned away from The Dirty Onion beer garden in the Cathedral Quarter last Friday afternoon, suggesting it may have been related to social status.
Graham explained that he and his team, who were alarm engineers, had completed some work on Waring Street and stopped by for a quick drink around 2.30pm. However, they were stopped by the doorman citing a no workwear policy, which left them surprised.
He questioned the reasoning behind the policy, speculating that it might actually target tradespeople rather than just work attire. Graham raised concerns about the perception of tradesmen and women being excluded from a casual setting like a beer garden on a Friday afternoon.
The spokesperson for The Dirty Onion clarified that the bar has maintained a smart casual dress code for the past 12 years. They mentioned that while their door staff use discretion, uniforms and workwear are generally not considered appropriate for the dress code. The bar aims to create a welcoming atmosphere starting from the entrance and ensures that all customers are informed politely if they do not meet the dress requirements.
Despite the incident, the interaction between the door team and the customer was described as friendly and well-received. The bar expressed regret for not accommodating the customer on that occasion but stood by their staff in enforcing the established dress code.