An historic village pub has been slammed by residents after posting its "strict" policies as it prepares to reopen after years spent shut - including a message that "well behaved children are welcome". The Swan Inn in Holmes Chapel in Cheshire is operated by the Samuel Smith's group which is known for its no mobile phone policies across its 200 pubs in the UK.
Posting on Facebook as it prepares to reopen following refurbishment, The Swan bosses issued a statement with the "strict" policies that it will enforce - including no swearing, no workwear and no mobile devices allowed inside. But it was its comments about children that really fired up residents of the village.
The pub sits right next to the main line train station in Holmes Chapel and dates back to the 1800s. It has been given a full restoration and is set to open to the public as a B&B and restaurant on Wednesday after being shut for the past few years.
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The statement on The Swan Inn Facebook page said: "Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome this week. We are very excited to be joining the Holmes Chapel community and reopening on Wednesday 12th July. We will be taking bookings for bed and breakfast and food from 19th July.
"We are a bed and breakfast and restaurant, for the enjoyment of all our guests, this is a digital detox environment, so no mobile devices are allowed inside. We also have a strict no swearing, and no workwear policy.
"Well behaved children are welcome in the restaurant rooms for meals and outside in our beer garden until 8pm, Dogs are also welcome in our beer garden.
"We would like to create a calm and relaxing environment for everyone to enjoy so we appreciate everyone’s understanding in respecting our policy.
"If this is not the environment for you we completely understand. We look forward to meeting you soon x"
The post swiftly racked up a number of comments from fuming residents who took exception to the "policies", and the description of "well behaved children" being welcome.
Hannah Gibson posted: "What a shame, for people with additional needs or additional needed children this is non accommodating completely. Was looking forward to a nice place with decent food and a large outdoor area for the kids.
"These rules are going to put a lot of the local people off. Also the ‘well behaved children welcome’ is pretty rude. Maybe reword that.. autistic children can’t choose to just sit quietly and chat nicely with family".
Laura Davison agreed, writing: "What do you do with children that aren't "well behaved?" Totally ridiculous rule in my opinion... children are children and they should be allowed to be children... what about those with SEN or other disabilities that may be noisy or unpredictable?! I really suggest you remove it from your post. It's vile."
Dan Cox said: "What a shame. I was hoping the pub would reopen as a more welcoming venue. The 'rules' at Samuel Smith's pubs are bizarrely draconian. For a village as warm and friendly as ours I find this incredibly out of place."
Others questioned how the no mobile phone policy will work, particularly when it comes to Apple Pay on mobiles, although the pub's owners were quick to respond to that. They wrote in reply to one resident: "We accept card with no minimum payment and Apple Pay is welcomed however we try to encourage no phone to bring back the social environment that a pub once was if these rules aren’t for some people we do understand."
Graham Stone fumed: "Does the new landlord/owner not realise we are living in the 21st century. Such a shame a place with so much potential is already putting people off and alienating so many people before they even open."
The pub responded to his comment to say: "We do realise that our policies are not for some people and we understand if you want to drink elsewhere, we are a b&b and we don’t mind people drinking here but we want to create a relaxed environment."
However some residents have urged calm amid the reaction to The Swan's Facebook post - and said they should be welcoming the return of the pub after so long away.
Candy Lean wrote: "To be honest I feel really sorry for the new managers of the Swan Inn given many of the comments on this thread and other local groups. Holmes Chapel is normally a welcoming place and it’s not showing it’s best side in this situation.
"The rules may not be to everyone’s taste but they are specified by the brewery. Personally I’m really pleased to see the Swan open after such a long time and I wish the new managers success. We do plan to visit in the near future."
Holmes Chapel is famous as the home village of pop superstar Harry Styles. It sits just off Junction 18 of the M6 through Cheshire.
The Samuel Smith's group is famously traditional, and says it bases its "pub ideals" on 20th century author George Orwell's description of the "perfect pub" in his 1945 essay The Moon Under The Water. The pub group recites some of the essay's key messages on its website, including: "The pub is quiet enough to talk, with the house possessing neither a radio nor a piano."
We have approached the pub's managers for futher comment.
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