A mother and son have been banned from their regular pub quiz because of their offensive team names. John Cullen, a 30 year old civil servant, and his mother Valerie, a 73 year old retired secretary, regularly participated in weekly quizzes.
However, during their last visit on Monday, November 11, they were informed by a staff member that they would not be allowed to participate in the quiz. Despite winning four out of the seven quizzes they had attended, John claimed they were told their winning streak was the issue.
Contrarily, a spokesperson the quiz, organised by Sphinx UK at Lanigan’s Irish Bar on Ranelagh Street in Wallasey, Merseyside, denied this and stated that the pair were banned due to their “derogatory and offensive” team names, which included references to Madeleine McCann and Prince Andrew.
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John asserts that at no point were their team names ever mentioned as the reason they were being barred from playing the quiz. He said they would have “happily” changed their team name if they had been asked, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He added: “I can see how people could find it offensive, but we aren’t the first team to use these names in jest in quizzes. We are regular quizzers who compete every week for fun. I find it outrageous and ridiculous that anyone would attempt to limit or stop someone from winning a quiz when the aim itself is to try to win.”
Lanigan’s Bar on Ranelagh Street hosts its weekly quiz on a Monday
Andrew Carey, from the venue, told the Echo: “John and his mother, Valerie are two very smart individuals, the problem being that every time they won a round or were the fastest team to answer the question, their team’s name would appear on the big screen in our pub and be announced over the house system by the host.
“In the end, with the number of complaints raised, we chose to ask the mother and son couple to leave the venue as they were causing offence. We have the right to admission in our own venue, and we will not tolerate such behaviour.”
Despite this, other teams have said they have also been turned away for, what they believe to be, the same reason as John and Valerie’s. Andrew denied this and added: “As far as management are aware they are the only team to be asked to leave the venue to date. I’ve never even heard of the other teams till your phone call”.
Liam Canning’s International Frustration pub quiz team -Credit:Liam Canning
Liam Canning, a Bootle native who now resides in Old Swan, has claimed that he and his team, known as International Frustration, were banned from participating in the quiz at Lanigan’s after winning twice. The 31 year old academic editor said: “We were told we weren’t allowed to play at all because of our high-win rate. We were just like, ‘What is happening?’. I asked for a refund on my drink and I didn’t even get that. It was just a particularly funny situation to be in.”
He added: “We were banned from there because they said it was ‘unfair to the students in the quiz’. We left and have never gone back. We’ve gone elsewhere since.”
Another participant, who competed alone under the name Here For The Beer, alleges that he was also asked not to return after attending five times and winning twice consecutively. He shared with the ECHO: “I have never had this treatment anywhere else. I feel discriminated against for two reasons. One, and most importantly, for being unable to return just for achieving two wins – it makes me feel that for being good at something – the entire purpose of a quiz – then I am unable to continue to do so.
“Secondly, for them stating that it is a student vibe. I am in my early thirties and still very willing to join in with the overall vibe, but I feel that because I’m no longer a student, I am not welcome. This was not stated anywhere within the venue or at any point during the quiz.”
Andrew Carey, Lanigan’s group general manager, disputed elements of the claims. Quiz operator Sphinx UK told the Echo: “The decision to remove John and Val from the event on Monday was solely down to the venue management team.”
John and Valerie Cullen attend quizzes throughout the city centre every week -Credit:PJ Photography
It added: “At Sphinx, we pride ourselves on running events which are engaging for everyone regardless of ability. John and Val always have been – and continue to be – welcome at our events. We are unable to comment on any venue’s admission policy.”
When asked to comment on the other two teams, Sphinx said: “Any decision to remove people from Lanigan’s will have been made by the venue management team. Sphinx welcomes all players of any ability to play our events. We are unable to comment on individual venue’s admission policies”.