This past Friday, we were shocked to see that a bar exists in 2017, placing a ban on female-fronted bands from performing. The pub is Doctor Browns in Middlesbrough, England, and has stirred an ample amount of negative feedback including BBC, along with receiving backlash on their Facebook. According to GazetteLive, and despite the The Northern Echo quoting Manager Paula Rees defending the pub’s decision, it appears that there was never a ban.
Essentially, the bar claimed that they only refused booking for one female-fronted band and it had nothing to do with gender.
The GazetteLive reported that the statement read:
“We have had female fronted bands play last year, this year and have some booked in for next year also. Female fronted bands are welcome and we are happy to book them in regarding whether male/female if we find good reviews of the band.”
Later, Rees’ husband assured both him and his wife are not sexist:
“For everyone who chooses to comment. There is no ban on female singers. Female fronted band been booked in for a while if people do their homework. Probably wasting my time posting this as everyone on the bandwagon will just contradict I know. But for your information, my wife and Browns is not sexist, if you ever met her you would know she is a very strong minded individual woman as are the staff. Live venues should be encouraged with fully informed criticism welcome. Thanks to all for the positive messages of support though few. I should have defended the criticism earlier.”
