Key Points
- Incident Location: The Star pub, a JD Wetherspoon venue in Gosport, Hampshire.
- Date of Event: Sunday, October 25.
- Core Incident: Reform UK councillor George Madgwick and military veterans, including Scott Schillemore, claimed they were refused entry by door staff while wearing Remembrance Day poppies.
- Alleged Reason Given: Security staff reportedly claimed that wearing poppies violated company policy.
- Pub Chain Response: JD Wetherspoon firmly denied any ban on poppies, apologised for the incident, and noted that standard security measures were implemented due to local demonstrations.
- Police Clarification: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stated they did not instruct any pubs to close their doors.
Gosport, Hampshire (West London Times) October 26, 2026 — JD Wetherspoon has denied claims that customers wearing Remembrance Day poppies were refused entry to The Star pub in Gosport, following an incident involving military veterans and Reform UK councillor George Madgwick on October 25. The pub chain said there was no ban on poppies and attributed the incident to security measures introduced amid local demonstrations, while Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary clarified that police had not instructed pubs to close.
Why Were Customers Wearing Poppies Refused Entry at a Gosport Pub?
The incident unfolded on Sunday, October 25, in Gosport, Hampshire, coinciding with a day of local demonstrations and counter-demonstrations. Among those affected were members of the public and military veterans who had gathered following local campaigning activities. As reported by Macaully Moffat of Trending News Reporter, Reform UK councillor George Madgwick claimed that a group of individuals was barred from entering The Star pub by security staff.
As reported by Macaully Moffat of Trending News Reporter, Councillor Madgwick—who leads the Reform UK group on Hampshire County Council—stated to the Mail that:
“A few of us were meeting at the pub after campaigning. We were wearing ordinary clothes, with no flags, party logos or political branding. A couple of the men were veterans wearing poppies. When we reached the door, security told us we couldn’t come in wearing poppies and asked us to remove them. The explanation was that it was company policy.”
The group maintained that their clothing bore no indicators linking them to nearby anti-immigration marches or active demonstrations. The situation quickly escalated into a public outcry, particularly given the cultural significance of the red poppy, which is widely worn across the United Kingdom leading up to Remembrance Day to honour fallen service personnel.
How Did the Affected Veterans React to the Incident?
Among the individuals denied entry was Scott Schillemore, a 33-year-old veteran from Portsmouth who served in the British Army from 2009 to 2015. Mr Schillemore shared his profound distress regarding the abrupt exchange with security personnel at the Gosport establishment.
As reported by Macaully Moffat of Trending News Reporter, Mr Schillemore stated to The Sun:
“As we approached the entrance, the doorman pointed his finger at us and said: ‘You’re wearing a poppy, you’re not coming in.’ I was in complete shock and disbelief. I lost a very good friend in Afghanistan. We yearly go into Wetherspoons on Remembrance Sunday to raise a glass to absent friends. But not anymore. There is no chance I’m ever going back to a Wetherspoons.”
The personal accounts highlighted deep emotional distress among the veterans, who felt that a symbol meant to unify the nation in memory of fallen soldiers was instead used to restrict their access to a public venue.
What Was JD Wetherspoon’s Official Response to the Allegations?
In the wake of the public backlash and media inquiries, JD Wetherspoon issued a swift and comprehensive clarification, categorically denying the existence of any corporate policy prohibiting the wearing of poppies.
As reported by Macaully Moffat of Trending News Reporter, a company spokesperson stated:
“Wetherspoon has been a long-standing supporter of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, with poppies for sale in our pubs, including the Star. There is no ban on poppies in Wetherspoon pubs. However, there were some standard security measures in place today, as a result of demonstrations in the town. Unfortunately, some members of the public, including some wearing poppies, did not gain entry to the pub. The pub closed to all customers, on advice of the police, at 5pm and remains closed today. We apologise to any regular customers who have been inconvenienced by today’s events and look to forward to welcoming everyone back tomorrow.”
The hospitality giant emphasised its historic partnership with the Royal British Legion, attributing the denials of entry to heightened operational security protocols rather than an ideological stance against the poppy symbol itself.
What Did Local Police Clarify Regarding the Pub Closure?
Amid conflicting reports concerning the instructions given to local establishments during the protests, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary provided a distinct clarification regarding their role in the venue’s temporary shutdown.
As reported by Macaully Moffat of Trending News Reporter, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stated:
“Following the protest in Gosport, a number of people gathered in Gosport High Street. No offences were identified and police did not ask any pubs to shut their doors. The group soon dispersed on their own.”
This police statement directly contrasted with elements of the venue’s initial explanation regarding closure advice, adding further complexity to the timeline of events on High Street. Meanwhile, the Royal British Legion continues to define the red poppy as a strictly neutral emblem dedicated entirely to raising funds and awareness for veterans, current service members, and their bereaved families.
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Background of the Particular Development
The controversy at The Star in Gosport unfolds against a backdrop of increasing social and political friction surrounding public demonstrations across various UK towns and cities. JD Wetherspoon, operating over 800 pubs nationwide, frequently encounters logistical and security challenges when local protests, marches, and counter-demonstrations intersect with high-street hospitality venues. Pub chains routinely enforce heightened door security and temporary closures on police advice or under internal risk-assessment guidelines to maintain public safety. However, the intersection of security screening with national symbols of remembrance—such as the Royal British Legion’s poppy—creates acute reputational sensitivities, especially when veterans and public figures are involved.
Prediction
The fallout from the Gosport incident is expected to prompt heightened scrutiny regarding how corporate security personnel handle public symbols during civil demonstrations. For the primary audience—including military veterans, regular patrons of high-street pub chains, and local community groups—this development may foster temporary distrust or wariness toward corporate hospitality venues during periods of local unrest. Moving forward, major pub operators like JD Wetherspoon will likely face increased pressure to provide clearer, more rigorous briefing guidelines to third-party security contractors. Ensuring that standard crowd-control measures do not inadvertently infringe upon or misinterpret national symbols of remembrance will be critical for maintaining customer loyalty and avoiding similar public relations crises.
