JD Vance ‘rejected’ by restaurant - now it’s getting bombarded with Google reviews

It’s fair to say that US vice president JD Vance’s current visit to the UK hasn’t gone particularly well, so far.

There’s been demonstrations, an outcry over villagers being ‘asked’ for their social media info, headlines about his time fishing with UK foreign secretary David Lammy, a musician pulling out of a gig after realising it was for the politician, and a van driving around the Cotswolds showing a ‘cursed’ image of him looking like an egg.

Now, it’s been reported that Vance booked a table at The Bull in Charlbury, only for him to be turned away as staff threatened not to show up if the vice president was there.

To add insult to injury, political rival Kamala Harris was able to eat in the restaurant, as she was there recently for a pre-wedding dinner for Eve Jobs, daughter of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Ouch.

The news was reported by the celebrity and pop culture newsletter Popbitch, which said The Bull “refused [Vance’s] patronage” after the Oxfordshire establishment faced “staff grumbles and a barrage of negative press attention”.

US website The Daily Beast has published its own report on the situation, in which it cited an anonymous staff member who said they were unable to comment and referred them to owners Public House Group.

Indy100 has reached out to them for comment, as well as Vance’s representatives.

And now that the name of the restaurant has circulated online, people have taken to Google’s reviews function to let them know what they think of the staff’s reported protest against Vance’s booking.

“It’s crazy. I’m born and raised in the USA. I’ve never been here or in the UK, but this is by far my favourite pub ever. Good on ya folks,” wrote user Adam Crishi, giving the restaurant five stars.

Another reviewer joked: “Lovely pub! Didn’t have any JD in though.”

Adopting the language of Trump, Andrew Goodall wrote: “Biggest, best most beautiful pub. Some would say the bigliest! Excellent in every way! Especially in regards to their ethics!”

Vance references were made, too, as Eszter Olah commented: “Did you even say thank you? You should definitely say thank you (to the staff) if you dine here.”

However, The Bull has also been subjected to reviews from those more supportive of Vance, with Ben Foreman leaving one star and branding the restaurant “disgraceful”.

He fumed: “Treating the sitting USA vice-president to public humiliation for what? Sadly, I don’t know enough about the once great UK to know which duely [sic] elected UK officials I should shun – cancel culter [sic] abounds everywhere.”

Others complained the reported turning away of customers is “a very slippery slope”.

EJ Putnam gave The Bull one star and commented: “Staff refuse to serve people based on their political beliefs. If you’re not captured by liberal ideologies – stay away.”

Theo Bird wrote: “Restaurants are about food – not politics; it’s an embarrassment to our country that they turned away our biggest ally; especially in times of conflict around the world.”

“Staff refuse to serve people based on completely rational political opinions,” said a user by the name of Sam King.

It’s not the first time that this has happened, as the woman who livestreamed Kneecap’s Glastonbury performance - after the BBC chose not to broadcast it live – also found her business flooded with Google reviews back in June.

Why not read…

• JD Vance's ‘favourite meme’ of himself is upsetting social media
• “I’m not gonna answer that": JD Vance laughs off Trump insinuation

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