Pregnant clubber 'refused entry'

Natalie Wilkins was in Cardiff for a hen night for her best friend

A Cardiff nightclub is investigating after an expectant mother claimed she was refused entry due to her pregnancy.

Natalie Wilkins, 29, was in a hen party of 10 when she was turned back at the door of Flares in St Mary Street.

She said the doorman refused her entry as soon as he noticed her bump - the mother-of-one is almost seven months' gone with her second child.

A spokeswoman for Flares said the firm would be speaking to the company which employed the venue's door staff.

Ms Wilkins said she felt humiliated and that she had ruined the night out for her friends after being told she would not be let in.

I felt humiliated and embarrassed - there was a crowd of people watching what happened Natalie Wilkins

She said the doorman told her the nightclub's health and safety regulations meant she could not be admitted.

She said: "We'd just gone for a meal at Old Orleans and headed to the city centre around 8pm

"Two of the venues we attended that night - O'Neills and Reflex - are part of the same brewery group and the staff were wonderful, very courteous, so it was strange to be treated in this way.

"One of my friends runs a bar. She tried to reason with him."

Ms Wilkins said the doorman then overheard her conversation with the friend about how she should go about complaining about the episode.

Ms Wilkins felt "humiliated" by being refused entry at the club

She said the doorman then claimed that he had been considering letting her in but would not if she was going to take that attitude.

"I felt humiliated and embarrassed. There was a crowd of people watching what happened," she said.

"I have never been treated like that. I felt awful because I felt I had spoilt the night for everyone."

Ms Wilkins, a communications officer for a non-profit organisation, lives in Warwick.

She and her friends had travelled down from Warwick and Leamington Spa to Cardiff for the weekend hen party.

"We thought it would be a really good place and apart from this one experience, it didn't disappoint.

Company investigates

"I could not be more impressed with the attitude of staff and local people to my pregnancy.

"People were kind and courteous, ensuring I was able to get in and get served easily.

"In Reflex, a bouncer even held my hand to assist me down the steps at the end of the evening!

A spokeswoman for Flares said they had already been in touch with her about her complaint.

She said: "As a company we in no way treat pregnant customers any differently to any other customer.

"We will be speaking to the door company employing the door staff on duty."

"It is company policy that any pregnant employee complete a risk assessment of their job in line with health and safety guidelines."