Police Investigate After Black Pub-Goer Sent Banana With Wetherspoon App

Police are investigating after a Wetherspoon customer used the company's app to send a black pub-goer a banana.

Mark D'arcy-Smith was enjoying a drink with a mate at The Richmal Crompton, in Bromley, South East London, when the banana was brought to their table by a waiter at around 10pm, on Friday 8 November.

LADbible

The 24-year-old told LADbible: "It came, and at first we thought someone had made an order to the wrong table. When they said it was for our table, that was when it all kind of clicked."

"I don't think a lot of people understand what it is like to experience racial abuse. When it happened, it's kind of strange to explain, I felt a mix of emotions all within like one second. I went from being upset to being quite afraid, to feeling a bit lonely, and all sorts of other emotions, even anger, all in one second.

"I didn't really know how to process it, in my head, I just needed to get out of there and find a safe space."

Mr D'arcy-Smith - who works as an account executive at a media company - said patrons on the table next to him encouraged him to stay after realising what had happened, but after raising the matter with the manager, he and his friend finished their drinks and left.

Mr D'arcy-Smith woke his parents when he got home and they spent the next hour talking about the incident.

He said: "My parents were really, really shocked, because I just went out to hang out with a mate, they weren't expecting me to come home and tell them that. Where I live in Bromley, it's seen as kind of a safe area and quite diverse, so for that to happen was quite shocking to all of us."

The episode has had a lasting impact on Mr D'arcy-Smith, who has struggled to shake it from his thoughts, even suffering a panic attack as a result of the experience.

He said: "A couple of days later, on the way to work, I had to go past the pub on my way to the train station, and when I got on the train I had, I'm not sure what it was, it was either a panic attack or an anxiety attack or some kind of weird reaction to the whole ordeal, where like I was really shaky, short of breath, and my heart was beating really fast."

SWNS

Football fan Mr D'arcy-Smith believes the racism rife in the sport may have played a part in encouraging the sort of behaviour he was subjected to. He also believes Wetherspoon could have treated the matter more seriously and claims the pub chain's handling of the issue showed it was only concerned with how the incident might affect the company.

A Wetherspoon spokesman said: "We apologise to the customer and appreciate the distress caused. This is now a police matter.

"We have responded to the customer and pointed out that the pub cannot be held responsible for app orders."

Police are now investigating the matter and it is understood that it should be possible to trace the banana order to an email account.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Police are investigating a racially aggravated public order offence.

"The offence happened at about 22.05hrs on Friday, 8 November at a pub in Westmoreland Place, Bromley and involves an item being sent to the victim's table.

"The matter was reported to police the next day. Officers from the South Area Command Unit investigated.

"No arrests. Enquiries continue."

Topics: UK News, Wetherspoon, crime

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey