DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Bexley, December, 2022.

Page Updated:- Thursday, 15 December, 2022.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 2002

(Name from)

Furze Wren

Open 2022+

Broadway Square, 8 Market Place

Bexleyheath

020 8298 2590

https://www.jdwetherspoon.com

https://whatpub.com/furze-wren

Furze Wren 2014

Above photo 2014.

Furze Wren 2015

Above photo, 2015.

Furze Wren sign 2016

Above sign 2016.

 

This is a Wethspoons owned establishment that changed name from "Lloyd's No 1" in 2002.

The pub is now named after a bird that was discovered on Bexley heath in 1773 by Doctor John Latham, then living nearby in Dartford. The species has since been named the Dartford Warbler or the Furze Wren, as it prefers to nest in furze bushes.

 

From the https://www.newsshopper.co.uk By Fiona Simpson, 24th September 2014.

Olivia Pozniak breast-feeds baby Louie

PICTURED: Is this offensive? Breast-feeding mother asked to 'cover up' with dirty dishcloth at Bexleyheath pub.

An outraged mother has organised a 'boob and bottle' protest at a Bexleyheath pub after being 'ordered' to cover her breast-feeding baby with a dirty dishcloth.

Mother-of-four Olivia Pozniak was breast-feeding her 11-week-old son, Louie, at the Furze Wren pub, owned by Wetherspoon, in Market Place on September 21 when she was asked to cover up.

The 25-year-old, of Normanhurst Avenue, Bexleyheath, said: "I was having a late breakfast with two friends and Louis needed feeding - so I fed him.

"To me it's all the same, syringe, boob, bottle - you're just feeding your baby so I was shocked when a member of staff, who claimed to be the manger, came over with a dirty dishcloth - the sort you use to wipe down the bar - and said 'you're disturbing the other customers, can you cover up.'

"I stood up and asked the other customers - there were only about 15 of them - if they had a problem and they all said no."

The angry mother, who has breast-fed her three other children, Eva, aged five, Luke, four, and two-year-old Jennifer, has now decided to take a stand - by holding a 'feed-in' in the pub on September 25 at 10am.

Ms Pozniak added: "What he has done is against the Equality Act which came into force in 2010 and Wetherspoon are supposed to be breast-feeding friendly.

"I want people to know about this so I've organised mums to go along and feed their babies in whichever way they choose.

"I don't think they'll like it but I didn't like the way I was treated - it was completely unfair."

So far, more than 42 people have agreed to attend the 'Wetherspoons boob and bottle feed in' which has been publicised on Twitter and Facebook.

Commenting on the event's Facebook page Troyangel Vydelingum said: "I think it's disgusting, been asked to cover up with a dish cloth as well."

Katherine Bird Nykola added: "That's a great idea. He broke the law under the Equality Act. It's the same law that makes racism illegal.

"This is a big deal for someone trying to do what's best for their baby."

Miss Pozniak also took to Twitter to defend herself, posting a picture of her on Saturday evening and another of her feeding Louie on Sunday morning.

She tweeted: "Saturday night vs Sunday morning. Which one is offensive? #breastfeeding #discrimination #freethenipple"

In another tweet the mother added: "I'm pro breastfeeding, I'm pro formulafeeding, I'm pro mixed feeding, cup feeding, wet nursing & pumping. I'm just pro feeding your baby...."

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We apologise wholeheartedly to the lady. This should never have happened.

"Our pubs are welcoming to mothers who wish to breastfeed their children.

"The Wetherspoon staff member made a judgement of error in this case.

"There are no excuses and we do not offer one.

"We completely understand that this incident upset the lady in question and hope she accepts our apology."

 

From the https://www.newsshopper.co.uk By Liam McInerney, 24th October 2018.

Bexleyheath Wetherspoons slammed after order of mushy peas.

Daniel Kelly 2018

A Bexleyheath boozer has been slammed after a bizarre row erupted regarding a comical order of mushy peas.

Daniel Kelly, 23, was travelling to The Furze Wren on Saturday (October 13) evening to celebrate a friend’s birthday party after a long day’s work.

His mates were already enjoying a classic Wetherspoons knees up when they text Daniel to order ten portions of the British side dish.

“Naturally, I agreed to get that round via their app,” Daniel told News Shopper.

He admitted it was “probably a joke order” and was not surprised when he was informed his pea request had been cancelled.

Having taken £5 from his account, Daniel arrived 45 minutes later before asking for a refund.

He said: “I was met with distaste from the manager who reluctantly informed me the peas had been fired up while I was requesting a refund and I would have to wait.”

Daniel claims to have waited four hours until midnight but stressed that no peas arrived.

His sister, Robyn Kelly, who was also at the birthday celebrations, started a Twitter thread about the pea controversy using the hashtag #wherearethepeas.

Robyn Kelly@AnimatorRobyn

Here's the craic - my brother ordered 10x mushy peas to the table and when they saw the order they said they knew it was a joke and wouldn't be doing it. Get a refund at the bar.

The unhappy customer said he was “passively infuriated” by the “palaver” and sent an email of complaint to the pub.

In a later reply seen by News Shopper, the pub’s management team wrote: “On this occasion we are not in a position to offer you a refund for your order of mushy peas.

“We now consider this matter closed, and no further communication will be entered into.”

Daniel recommended his local donate the £5 to charity or to give the mushy peas to the homeless.

“It is the principle of it,” he said.

“I understand if they thought it was a wind-up but I paid for a service and so was entitled to a refund. This could have been easily resolved.

"I prefer not going to chain pubs anyway. I only go to them when my friends want to go for a drink.”

A spokesman for Wetherpoons said they will now offer Daniel the fiver “as a show of goodwill” after News Shopper asked for comment.

He added: “The pub had already made up the ten portions of peas for the customer, who then said he didn’t want them.

“Therefore the pub rightly declined to refund him.”

However, Daniel insisted he would not have declined the peas and is adamant they never came.

The pead off punter remains unsure whether he will return to the pub.

 

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