Wetherspoons refuses to let two homeless men in for breakfast after generous mum offered to buy them hot meal

Jenny is pictured with Chris and Ryan outside Wetherspoons

Wetherspoons has refused to allow two homeless men in for breakfast after a generous mum offered to buy them a hot meal.

The pub chain has defended its decision, saying an employee "felt uncomfortable" letting them in following an incident the previous day.

It added that a takeaway breakfast was offered instead, but one of the men was "abusive and aggressive" when the food was taken out.

Christopher Finch, 23, and Ryan, 22, were sleeping rough in Truro, Cornwall, when kind-hearted Jenny Rimmer insisted on buying them something to eat on Sunday morning.

Jenny, 45, entered the Try Dowr J D Wetherspoon branch on Lemon Quay with her friend, Chris and Ryan, Plymouth Live reports.

But before they could order, it is claimed that staff told the group that they weren't welcome inside the pub.

Recalling the events, mother-of-one Jenny said: "I went out for drinks for my mate’s birthday and I saw Chris and his friend sitting outside a shop with all their belongings.

Staff at the Try Dowr branch allegedly felt uncomfortable serving the two men

"I really felt for them because they were almost my son’s age [21] – I thought this could be my son sitting there and that they are somebody’s son.

"We swapped numbers so I called Chris this morning and offered to take him for breakfast.

"We went to the bar in Wetherspoons with Chris and his friend Ryan, who is also homeless."

She claimed that, before the group had even ordered, a staff member said: "I'm sorry, I can't serve you."

"I said hang on – I’m trying to do a nice thing here and explained that they had a rough night so I was trying to make sure they have a good meal," Jenny said.

"The manager said that they’ve had too many problems with homeless people over the last week but I know which group that would have been because they have been a major problem in Truro.

"Chris and Ryan had only been here for three days and they weren’t smelly, noisy or rowdy."

Wetherspoons has backed the decision made by staff.

A spokesman said there was an incident outside the pub the day before "involving acquaintances of the homeless men", and that "the staff member felt uncomfortable letting them into the pub".

But Jenny claimed she was told all homeless people had been banned.

She said: "I was so gobsmacked and gutted for the lads.

"They had their breakfasts but they gave them takeaway boxes without any cutlery and there was beans and egg in the breakfast so I went back and asked for something to eat it with.

"The guy behind the bar was lovely but because he works there he had to go by the ridiculous policy. He gave them metal knives and forks and said don’t worry about bringing them back.

"I was disgusted – so many people will be gutted."

Chris, who had recently moved back to Cornwall from Plymouth, said he left the pub feeling "two inches tall".

He added: "I was born in Treliske and lived here for three years.

"I lost my dad when I was 14 and the only memories I have are of him sick in Treliske but now I don’t feel welcome in my hometown.

"I was living in Plymouth but burnt all my bridges with my family.

"I was arguing with them all the time and staying with my auntie who is older but I didn’t want to cause any more stress so I decided to leave.

"I was disgusted I felt like crying my eyes out."

He added: "I just thought how can a big company like that treat people like this. How can someone do that to two innocent people?"

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "There are always two sides to every story and having the account from staff at the pub, we back their decision.

"There had been an incident outside the pub the previous day involving acquaintances of the homeless men and the staff member felt uncomfortable letting them into the pub.

"Instead the staff member offered to provide a takeaway breakfast for them and when she took the food out one of the men was abusive and aggressive towards her.

"Staff at the pub are good, decent people, and some of the derogatory comments on social media are uncalled for."