A BAR has been criticised after giving a customer a till receipt with a printed description of him and his friend as “gay guys”.

Al Butler, 26, said he was surprised to see the description on the receipt after going for a meal with an old school friend at Judson’s Bar, in Market Place, Pocklington.

He said he complained after spotting the line on the receipt, which was used as a guide to indicate to staff where customers were sitting. Equality campaigners also criticised the “inappropriate” behaviour.

The bar said it has “apologised unreservedly” and said the member of staff involved, who had been working at the bar for only a matter of days, had been disciplined.

Mr Butler said: “I was surprised. I would not expect it anywhere else. It’s as equally unacceptable as racism. I don’t think it’s homophobic as it’s not a bad thing to be called gay – although I’m not – but I think it’s prejudiced. It’s jumping to a conclusion without the need to do so.”

Mr Butler, who was visiting his home town from Derby, where he works as an aerospace engineer, claimed when he had complained in person at the bar he had not received an apology.

He said: “In that situation I would expect a ‘sorry’ or ‘it won’t happen again’, but we got nothing.”. He said he had also complained to the owner of the bar.

Bar owner Peter Ward said: “We have apologised unreservedly. While it was completely wrong, I don’t feel it was prejuduced.

“It was completely unprofessional and it is not what our business is about.”

James Lawrence, of the sexual equality charity Stonewall, said: “Incidents like this highlight the importance of staff training. Identifying customers by their perceived sexual orientation is unnecessary and could cause offence. It’s right that the bar should apologise to the customers for this inappropriate behaviour.”

A spokesperson from the York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Forum said: “Clearly this is an unacceptable and wrong stereotype made by a member of staff at the bar, but it is also a mistake which could cause great offence and upset to anyone involved, regardless of their sexuality.

“We would welcome any business to contact us should they feel their staff require training on issues of equality, where we would be more than happy to assist.”