A naturist couple caused a stir when they made a stop at a pub for dinner during their cross-country journey to the South West, appearing completely naked. Neil Cox and Danielle Quiggan, accompanied by friends, quietly enjoyed their meal in a corner of the pub, but their presence raised eyebrows and led some customers to leave upon spotting them.
Margaret Lishmund, who happened to be at the Railway Inn in Somerset when the couple arrived, decided to find an alternative place to dine and shared her experience on Tripadvisor. She stated, “While ordering drinks, a couple walked up to the bar naked, which was a shock for all in the pub. We expected the barman to refuse to serve them. Since there were several families with children, including ourselves, it was not appropriate for them to be served. We chose to leave the pub and find somewhere else for dinner in town. Unfortunately, another family was unable to do the same as they had already ordered food. If you advertise as a family pub, you should uphold these values. Locals who frequent the pub apologized to us, but the staff seemed to think this was acceptable. Very disappointing.”
Another customer, Sarah L., who visited the pub with her parents on Friday night, gave the venue a one-star rating and commented, “Appalling. If you want to go to a family pub with average food and staff serving a naked man accompanied by a naked woman, then this is for you. Took parents. Outraged.”
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In response to the incident, Neil, 34, mentioned that he had contacted the pub in advance to inform the staff about their naturist lifestyle. The pub staff claimed to have researched naturism rules and accepted the booking.
Neil explained, “During our vacation, we were naked most of the time. Where I live, there are shops, grocery stores, and pubs that I regularly visit and where my naturism is accepted. We don’t believe that the reaction on TripAdvisor accurately reflects what happened in the pub in Burnham-on-Sea. It was a new place, and people were not expecting it, so there was an initial element of surprise when we walked in. We sat in the corner of the pub and had our meal. People quickly went back to their drinks and carried on with their day. After all, two naked people sitting in a corner of a pub, having a beer and burger, quickly becomes unremarkable. Several people approached us while we were there to have a chat, ask questions, or request a photo. We had checked with the pub beforehand and received their permission to visit.”
Neil added, “We also stopped in Bristol on Thursday night and went to a pub there, and we received no reaction to our nudity at all. I have made over 500 visits to shops, bars, and other businesses while naked, and as far as I know, not a single one of those visits has ever resulted in a negative review. Danielle and I find it deeply saddening that in 2023, an individual has criticized a small business that is trying to promote acceptance and tolerance.”
Public nudity is not considered an offense in the UK, as long as it lacks a sexual context and does not intend to cause alarm or distress. The Crown Prosecution Service clarifies that action is typically unnecessary unless members of the public were actually harassed, alarmed, or distressed.
A spokesperson for the Railway Inn responded, stating, “We have received both negative and positive comments, which we have taken into account. However, naturism is legal within the UK, and we take pride in our inclusivity, welcoming everyone’s individuality and differences.”