Father Ted creator sues Belfast bar over expulsion
Father Ted creator Graham Linehan is among a group taking legal action against a Belfast pub accused of discriminating against customers because of their gender critical beliefs.
A total of 23 Civil Bills have been issued against Wine Inns which owns Robinson’s Bar in the first case of its kind in Northern Ireland.
Employment tribunal proceedings have also been initiated against Belfast Film Festival in a separate case related the same Let Women Speak rally which took place in Belfast on Sunday, April 16, 2023.
Mr Linehan, who has faced a severe backlash following controversial remarks he has made about transgender people, gathered with friends in the pub on Great Victoria Street after taking part in a demonstration spearheaded by Kellie-Jay Keen.
The controversial campaigner, also known as ‘Posie Parker’, has been accused of being anti-trans on account of her activism which she insists is about standing up for women.
Solicitor Simon Chambers said all the individuals taking legal action — including feminist academic Dr Julia Long — had been enjoying food and drinks for 90 minutes in Robinson’s when they were suddenly denied service and asked to leave the premises.
“A video circulating on social media shows a member of staff telling those who were denied service ‘we are a trans positive bar’ and that ‘we are not transphobic’ — ie, you are,” Mr Chambers told the Belfast Telegraph.
“What I strongly suspect is that some of the staff were jaundiced by social media posts by trans activists who were criticising the women’s rally.
“In the end, the bar manager sided with staff who said they don’t serve terfs [trans exclusionary radical feminists] and told the group ‘I’m sorry, you have to go’.
“That sets a very dangerous precedent.”
Mr Chambers said he is “very confident” the case against the pub will be successful “because gender critical views are protected under equality legislation”.
The 23 cases, which will be grouped together, are expected to be heard by a judge within the next six months.
“This is about more than compensating those who I believe were discriminated against,” Mr Chambers said.
“It’s about securing a public apology from Robinson’s Bar and recognition that the way they treated these customers was wrong.”
