Father's fury as son refused tap water at Warwick cafe

Refused tap water - seven-year-old Regan outside the cafe at St Nicholas Park, Warwick. (s)

A FATHER was left “appalled” after his young son was refused tap water on a hot day in Warwick's St Nicholas Park.

Paul Brown and his two young sons were eating at the park's Warwick Tea Rooms & Café, on Saturday June 30, when his seven-year-old son Regan asked for his water bottle to be refilled.

But dad Paul was left stunned when the request was refused.

Enraged Mr Brown said: “We were told it was 'not café policy' and had to buy expensive bottled water instead.

“This is the café abusing its monopolistic position. There were no other sources of cold water in the park, with even the toilets only providing hot water.

“It was such a poor attitude to customer service and it is actually breaking a law, brought in 2010, which makes it an offence for alcohol retailers to turn down customers who ask for a glass of tap water free of charge.

“Warwick Tea Rooms & Café serve and sell alcohol so its refusal to serve us tap water can be made punishable by a fine of up to £20,000, six months in prison or its drinks licence being revoked.”

The manager of Warwick Tea Rooms refused to comment when contacted by the paper this week, hanging up the telephone without offering any explanation.

Warwick District Council, which owns the building and leases it to the current tenants, is investigating.

A spokeswoman said: “Having been made aware of this complaint, we are now looking into it ourselves.”

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