‘We thought it was a stag party’ insists pub who banned priests
SEVEN priests were thrown out of a city pub because bar staff thought they were a fancy dress stag party.
Clad in long black robes and dog collars, they walked in to celebrate the ordination of one of the group.
But the cheery Roman Catholic priests had walked into an unholy showdown with a bartender.
He told them in no uncertain terms: “Sorry lads. Fancy dress and stag dos are banned.”
The puzzled clergymen had popped into the The City Arms to toast Father Peter McClaren being ordained at Cardiff cathedral earlier that day. One explained: “Initially we thought it was a joke until it became clear that he was in fact serious.”
Assistant manager Matt Morgan eventually realised the mistake and ended up apologising for the blunder.
He invited them back in just as they were leaving.
He said: “They were all dressed in their black and white clothes and the staff thought they were a stag.
“We have quite a few issues at weekends with parties wearing fancy dress so it is our policy to turn them away.
“I started to realise that they were quite serious.
“In the end we invited them in and gave them a free round of drinks.”
The generous gesture prompted applause from other locals enjoying a pint.
One of the bar staff even realised one priest was called Reverend Robert James, the name of a popular Welsh beer.
The priests said: “Even the management found it amusing that the Reverend Robert James, also a city native, was partial to the odd pint of the ale bearing his surname.”
The priests, known as seminarians, were not put off by their experience.
They said they plan to go back to the pub which is a pilgrimage for many rugby fans.
A church spokesman said: “We would like to thank The City Arms for being good sports through all of this and their kind gesture to our seminarians.
“And please note – a number of our clergy, including the Archbishop of Cardiff, frequent your bar so don’t turf any more out, please.”