Nightclub turns 'fat' women away

By Briar Burley
Newsbeat reporter

A nightclub owner in Jersey has said sorry after women were turned away from his venue for being "too fat".

Around 25 women were told they couldn't go into The Havana Club in St Helier on Saturday night.

Doormen told clubbers it was because the management didn't want any "big women".

Martin Sayers, who runs the venue, told Newsbeat: "I'm just deeply sorry that people have been offended and it was a poor decision made.

"I deeply regret the night - I wish it never happened. I don't like upsetting people. I just offer my apologies unreservedly."

But he refused to discuss what his actual door policy had been, and on what grounds the club had refused entry to these women.

Refused entry

Laurie Donaldson is a size 20 and turned up to the club with friends around 11.30pm.

She said she was wearing jeans and a smart top, but was told she couldn't come in.

Jersey is a British Crown dependency off the coast of France

She said: "I went to go through the door, everybody else went through and the doorman stopped me.

"He said sorry you can't come through - you're too fat.

"I was shocked at first I said, 'Are you joking?' And he said, 'No. Management doesn't want any big women in his venue.'"

Helen Hunter was also at the club on Saturday.

She told Newsbeat: "As I approached the crowd a lady came running up to me and shouted, 'You better be a size eight to 10 otherwise you're not getting in."

Two of her friends were refused entry.

Police say they sent extra patrols to the area because an upset crowd had gathered outside the club. No-one was arrested.

It is up to the licensee of a club or pub in Jersey to decide who enters.

Local people unhappy with what happened have set up a group on the social networking site Facebook urging people to boycott the nightclub in future.

It has more than 800 members.