On Thursday evening, a video on X (formerly Twitter) showed far-right activist Tommy Robinson—real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon—and his companions being politely but firmly asked to leave the Hawksmoor Air Street restaurant in London. The group had just finished their starters when restaurant staff, noting discomfort among colleagues and other diners, intervened.
👥 Staff ‘duty of care’
In the clip, the manager explains:
“Members of staff feel uncomfortable serving you.”
Guest Guramit Singh Kalirai demanded,
“Is it because of the colour of my skin?”
The manager clarified:
“No, no, no. We have a duty of care to our members of staff. We like to look after our people, as I’m sure you can understand.”
Robinson then received the CEO’s business card and was told the first round of drinks was on the house, accompanied by an apology:
“I’m very sorry. I hope it hasn’t inconvenienced you.”
🎥 Robinson’s reaction
Kalirai turned to the camera and fumed:
“Have you seen that? We’ve just been kicked out of the steakhouse… Been sat here for a f**king hour. We are sat here with the celebrities.”
Robinson later told media he was given “no reason” for his dismissal, though the footage suggests staff concerns drove the decision.
📝 Hawksmoor’s official statement
That evening, Hawksmoor CEO Will Beckett issued a measured statement:
“On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained. The party left peacefully and politely on request.”
He stressed the decision was not about politics or beliefs:
“We want to welcome as many people as possible, regardless of background or views, to our teams or as our guests.”
Beckett thanked those who supported the staff and asked to move past the “huge amount of fallout” so the team could “focus on looking after those people, and our guests.”
⚖️ What next?
Robinson faces an unrelated court appearance in July over harassment allegations. Meanwhile, Hawksmoor hopes to draw a line under this story—and get back to serving award-winning steaks, not headlines.
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