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Restaurant asked Tommy Robinson to leave after staff 'felt uncomfortable'

André Rhoden-Paul
BBC News
Reuters Tommy Robinson outside Westminster Magistrates' CourtReuters

Far-right anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, was asked to leave a London restaurant after the business said guests and staff felt uncomfortable.

The 42-year-old said he and four others were told to leave the Hawksmoor steakhouse, near Piccadilly Circus, on Thursday.

Yaxley-Lennon has accused the restaurant of "discriminatory behaviour" due to his political beliefs.

Hawksmoor, which did not name Yaxley-Lennon in its statement, said the group left the restaurant "politely", adding that its decision was "not about politics or belief" and it was "not trying to engage in a public debate".

The restaurant chain has been ed for further comment.

Video footage, posted on X by a member of Yaxley-Lennon's group, shows a member of staff telling them that his colleagues felt "uncomfortable serving" them.

The staff member is then heard saying that he had a "duty of care", adding that he would waive the bill for their drinks and apologising for the inconvenience.

Posting on X, Yaxley-Lennon said: "Restaurants and businesses should not be political. We weren't loud, aggressive or inappropriate, so this can only be my politics."

Tripadvisor has temporarily suspended reviews on some Hawksmoor restaurants due to an influx of reviews "that do not describe a first-hand experience".

It comes after Yaxley-Lennon called for a boycott of the restaurant and for his followers on X to leave reviews.

The steakhouse chain has seven restaurants in London, with branches in Liverpool, Edinburgh, Manchester and abroad.

'Huge amount of fallout'

In a statement Hawksmoor said: "On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained.

"The party left peacefully and politely on request."

It added it wanted to welcome guests "regardless of background or views" and its team had to deal with a "huge amount of fallout... some of which is quite concerning".

BBC News has ed the steakhouse chain's CEO for comment.

It comes after Yaxley-Lennon pleaded not guilty to two charges of harassing two Daily Mail journalists on Thursday.

Yaxley-Lennon founded the far-right English Defence League, known for its protests against what it calls "radical Islam". He stepped down in 2013.