Pub landlady turns away her own daughter because she hasn’t had COVID jab

The Minerva Inn in Plymouth, Devon, has banned unvaccinated customers. (Google)
The Minerva Inn in Plymouth, Devon, has banned unvaccinated customers. (Google)

A pub landlady has revealed she turned away her own daughter because she hasn’t been vaccinated against coronavirus.

Shelly Jones said she had refused her daughter Hayley entry to the Minerva Inn in Plymouth, Devon.

The pub has made the controversial decision to ban unvaccinated people from its premises in an effort to protect its regular elderly customers.

Read more: Anti-vaxxers boycott Morrisons over unvaccinated sick pay cut

“I’ve even had to turn away my own daughter, she hasn’t had any jabs yet,” Mrs Jones told ITV News.

“She turned up at the door and I was like, ‘Sorry, you can’t come in’.

Watch: Government scraps plans for vaccine passports at crowded events

“I know it doesn’t stop it spreading, I know you can still catch it and pass it on, but my old man sat in the back room is 90 and [if] some 18-year-old comes in and cuddles him on the way through, which they do after drinks have been taken on, I know I’ve done everything to keep him safe.”

The historic Minerva Inn in Plymouth (file photo) See SWNS story SWPLdaughter. A pub landlady has admitted to turning away her own daughter after introducing a ban on unvaccinated customers. Shelly Jones, who owns the Minerva Inn, in Plymouth, made the controversial decision to keep out any punter who cannot show proof of their Covid-19 vaccination status. The publican said the strict policy was to protect her older and more vulnerable clientele, who have proven loyal throughout the pandemic.
The landlady of the Minerva Inn in Plymouth, Devon, has barred her own daughter because she is not vaccinated against COVID-19. (SWNS)

Mrs Jones runs the pub with her husband Martin. The landlords insist the ban on unvaccinated customers is a “temporary measure” and say that if they thought they were discriminating or breaking the law they would revise the policy.

Sajid Javid is seen at BBC Broadcasting House prior to appearing on the Andrew Marr Show in London. (Photo by Tejas Sandhu / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)
Health secretary Sajid Javid announced that COVID vaccine passport plans for nightclubs have been scrapped. (PA)

“The reason behind it is that a lot of our regulars are, I would say, 55 plus, on average,” Mr Jones told ITV News.

“When things opened back up, they said they didn't want to come back if there was loads of youngsters there not double-jabbed, not protected.

“We know that being double-jabbed isn't the be all and end all. It isn't going to be 100% accurate, but it's more of a certainty than not being jabbed at all."

Cropped image of businessman having online Covid-19 Vaccine Passport. Male executive is using smart phone in airport. Traveling information is displayed on screen.
The government has made a U-turn on its plans for COVID vaccine passports in nightclubs. (Getty)

Mr Jones had said his policy was similar to the government’s plan to introduce COVID-19 vaccine passports for entry to nightclubs and other crowded venues.

Read more: Which countries are vaccinating their kids against COVID?

However, in a U-turn, health secretary Sajid Javid announced on Sunday that the plan had been scrapped.

He told BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show: “I’m pleased to say that we will not be going ahead with plans for vaccine passports.

"I think most people probably instinctively don't like the idea. I've never liked the idea of saying to people you must show your papers or something to do, you know, what is just an everyday activity, but we were right to properly look at it, to look at the evidence.”

Javid also said he was “not anticipating any more lockdowns”.

Watch: Labour says UK 'still needs measures in place' to fight COVID