No GrowBags when buying booze.
 

Article in The Daily Mail and also on TV news suggests no GrowBags when buying booze.

An Asian worker at the garage in Surrey told the shocked soldier he had to change out of his combat fatigues before he could be served.

Quite right too! I visited an old Basil station recently and was utterly appalled to witness officers, even Sqn Ldrs, wearing flying suits in the bar :p:p

JC! I'm glad I wasn't present at that little incident. I suspect Bas would now be under arrest on half a dozen charges! :*:*

I seem to recall oft-repeated entries in SROs to the effect that Service personnel were not permitted to drink in public when in uniform; I'm not sure that anyone ever sought to apply this to buying the stuff for consumption later.

Baz,

"combat fatigues"......... "GrowBags"........and the correlation is.........:rolleyes:

Sounds like a business to avoid if in the Surrey area

According to the Torygraph, it was the BP Wisley South station on the A3 near Guildford, Surrey.

If that's so, then it would be at:

Ripley Bypass,
Ripley
GUILDFORD
GU23 6PU
Surrey

I find the excuse somewhat lame........

Indeed. Combat fatigues look much smarter.

Guess you are not "smart" enough to wear a grow bag then flarkey :p

So we can pop into CoTesbury's in No 2s and No (whatever DPM is) uniforms but not in No 14 Uniform? Anyone know why?

Because unlike the RAF being run by aircrew, CoTesbury's is run by ex-groundcrew, and you know what we think about gro-bags. :)


let the fighting begin.

No Booze?!
 

Interestingly while based at Abbey Wood I went home in uniform via Sainsbury's to do the weekly shop (the joys of Food Allowance) and this obviously included wine.

I was informed at the checkout that I was not allowed to be sold alcohol as I was in uniform. After a short "chat" with the store manager it transpired that this is policy for the police. I did point out that the gore-tex I was wearing said ROYAL NAVY on the front and offered the good ID card and trundled off with my wine and apology.

Whilst unimpressed at first it is maybe difficult for a new checkout operator who is only told 'do not serve people in uniform'...

Strek

****e, in the cousins military it is almost a pre-requisite to drink in uniform...;)

Especially their Navy!:rolleyes:

PS: What happened? I laid down for a rest in JB and woke up in the military forum!:eek:

WTF has it to do with Sainsburys?
If the Police rule is no buying booze whilst in uniform then that is up to the individual police officer and Chief Constable; hardly any business of the retailer.
I'm ex Army, MN and RAF and have bought and imbibed alcoholic drinks in uniform in public on numerous occasions.
I'm beginning to understand what makes old men grumpy :*
p.s. One Boss did require us to remove GrowBags when exiting the Argosy even on other RAF stations. Just as well fighter jocks didn't have the same rule before reaching for the yellow & black handle :}

Oops! Basil was wrong :\

Stones Justices Manual Vol I

6-783 178. Offences in relation to constables. If the holder of a justices' licence —
(a) knowingly suffers to remain on the licensed premises any constable during any part of the time appointed for the constable's being on duty, except for the purposes of the execution of the constable's duty, or
(b) supplies any liquor or refreshment, whether by way of gift or sale, to any constable on duty except by authority of a superior officer of the constable, or
(c) bribes or attempts to bribe any constable,
he shall be liable, to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.

(which, coincidentally is the same penalty as for permitting licenced premises to be a brothel :O )

ZH, surely that should read CoTesbury's shelves are stacked by ex-groundcrew ;)
I know, I'll get my flying jacket.......

I think the rule about not selling booze to rozzers in uniform is a condition of the license to sell alcohol, not any free-thinking by the retailer.

It will be interesting to see if any more shop assistants start taking the law into their own hands and refusing to serve us. But what hope of a discrimination case being upheld?

Whilst shopping in Sainsbury's in Uxbridge recently wearing blues I was asked by the girl on the checkout "Are you a security guard?". I explained that I was in the RAF. She looked puzzled and did not seem to know of the existence of RAF Uxbridge (all of 1/2 a mile away) nor its attendant uniformed personnel, who are regularly seen out and about the local area in uniform.

Flying suit is not an official uniform - it is a "coverall" and therefore only to be worn at work. Wearing of official "uniform" is now OK out and about due to the lack of IRA etc. However the consumption of alcohol in public by persons in uniform is discouraged.

On a different tack, note that the Boss of Harrods has decreed that military personnel in military uniform are not to be admitted to his shop because it may panic his customers. (A thread from last year I seem to recall). Personally I would deport the damned grocer at the first oportunity.:yuk:

What I really detest is people walking about town without headdress on... that is all the public may see of us- make the effort!!

No- Alphas cannot be worn in the high street with a flying suit...

SMT

Wensleydale. IIRC the Flying Suit (not coverall) is in fact designated No 14 Uniform - a change that occured in the mid/late 90s and again, IIRC, was something to do with captured behind enemy lines and being out of uniform. Under these circumstances you may not be afforded the protection of the Geneva Convention or something along those lines.

Wensleydale:
 

'On a different tack, note that the Boss of Harrods has decreed that military personnel in military uniform are not to be admitted to his shop because it may panic his customers. (A thread from last year I seem to recall). Personally I would deport the damned grocer at the first oportunity.':yuk: Today 12:08

Agreed. And make the pr!ck pay for his own personal enquiry into a drunk-driving incident which happened 10 years ago. F$£%ing c*ck.

Can he be guilty of treason? I'm not sure given his nationality.

Rant complete.

Might I suggest you keep a burka in the boot of your car and slip it on before buying petrol or popping into Harrods for a little prezzy for the wife.

****e! In that case I must have been incorrectly dressed for the past X years - I was supposed to wear my flying "coverall" over my blues!

For, cheesy, that is what coveralls do, they are a cover for all normal clothing. I think you'll find that the RAF No 14 uniform (i.e. flying suit") is designed to be worn over issued survival clothing - i.e. long-johns, vest and roll-neck shirt, not over my No 2 uniform. If I take my No 14 uniform off I will be unsuitably dressed to go out in public. If you take off a coverall you should be wearing clothing suitable to be seen in public underneath.

I know what some bitter "I failed aircrew selection - but will never admit that I even applied" groundies will say - "most of us only wear boxers and t-shirts under our coveralls". But that is personal choice. The coverall is designed to be worn over your blues, flying suits are not.

MadMark!!! :mad: