R2OK!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

How quaint... Smile

Established in 1831 to "tend to the regeneration of the Drama", the Garrick Club is now the scene of an increasingly heated drama over women.

The "gentlemen only" club in Covent Garden favoured by actors has sent a letter to its members, including Sir Roger Moore and Stephen Fry, informing them that it has abandoned its ban on women guests from sitting at the hallowed centre table of its Coffee Room.
For the first time, women will also now be allowed to visit the cocktail bar before 9 o'clock in the evening and venture "under the stairs".

Jonathan Acton Davis QC, the Garrick's chairman, says the Equality Act, introduced by the former Labour minister Harriet Harman, means that "each of those prohibitions was discriminatory and would be illegal". The act denotes that "all guests must receive the same treatment irrespective of gender", he adds.

"The decision in relation to the centre table was the most difficult. The long traditions of the club are strongly in favour of restricting use of the centre table to men."

On the day the act became law this month, Lady Antonia Fraser, the historian, sat down, defiantly, at the centre table. Now, a fightback has begun, with members calling for a special general meeting to debate a resolution that "cherishes the traditional role of the centre table".

Acton Davis warns members to withdraw the motion or such a meeting "may be damaging to the club because it will inevitably lead to publicity which is unlikely to portray us favourably".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/8097627/Stephen-Frys-club-admits-defeat-over-Harriet-Harmans-Equality-Act.html

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

The most interesting thing about that is the way this forum won't allow the word "fight-back" (without the hyphen), and turns it into something worse!

I'm not sure about Stephen Fry but I'd bet that Sir Roger Moore would welcome ladies at any table. Smile

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Ron

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

ColinB · Guest

fightback

How right you are!

What's that all about John?

SantaFefan · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:33 pm Post subject:

I noticed the other day it won't allow "f l i c k e d" ( without the spaces ) either!
It comes out as flicked Laughing

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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

And yet it allowed your "bastard" cat, SF! Laughing

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Ron

SantaFefan · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject:

well, cats get away with anything.. Laughing

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

ColinB · Guest

sod it!

Ah yes, that one gets filtered to "sod" as well!!!!! Smile

SantaFefan · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:09 pm Post subject:

Bollocks seems to get changed to... oh dear.. Embarassed

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Hi I've sorted the flicked and fightback, seems the f*... wildcard word censor was too general. Bollocks is OK though Smile

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John W

ColinB · Guest

Gnasty Gnome · Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 313 Location: West Wales

Rachel · Guest

Only men at the centre table? – how unusual- if it was the centre dance floor- men wouldn’t be anywhere near it- they’d be glued to the walls with a pint of lager- wonder what is so special about a table? I guess they like to read the paper or play with their leggo or something. Now that I could sit there, I wouldn’t.