Anyone else been refused tap water in restaurant

motorguy

justsooz wrote: »

I have known several of the restaurants to charge around £1.50 for tap water

Which ones?

Most normally charge for bottled water if they won't serve you tap water.

Fred56

Place in Helford added £1.50 for a tumbler of tap water. I refused to pay and they dropped it. I was paying for lunch and alcoholic drinks for four people and £1.50 for a single tumbler of tap water was just taking the water.
Am I tight, you bet. Are they greedy, you bet. Did I leave a tip? Not after that.

POPPYOSCAR

A restaurant we go to charges 45p for a glass of water with ice in.

The money goes to Wateraid which I have no problem with but they do not tell customers this when they ask for a glass of tap water, they just add it to the bill.

compmad1

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

A restaurant we go to charges 45p for a glass of water with ice in.

The money goes to Wateraid which I have no problem with but they do not tell customers this when they ask for a glass of tap water, they just add it to the bill.

There is no proof that they pass the money onto the charity. I like to make charitables donations directly; call me cynical, but I don't trust third parties. I also like to choose my charites, and not have them imposed.

McKneff

You later posters should know that the original post on here was 2012

samanthani

McKneff wrote: »

You later posters should know that the original post on here was 2012

Does it really matter? It still seems to be a relevant topic.

Sam

(Refused glass of water in M&S a few weeks a go :-( )

motorguy

samanthani wrote: »

Does it really matter? It still seems to be a relevant topic.

Sam

(Refused glass of water in M&S a few weeks a go :-( )

Nope.

In the four years since i still cant get my head around why expecting free glasses of water is ok.

gax23

motorguy wrote: »

Nope.

In the four years since i still cant get my head around why expecting free glasses of water is ok.

Probably because it's the law.

motorguy

gax23 wrote: »

Probably because it's the law.

Not here in NI it isnt - this thread and the original posts were relating to NI. The mods have subsequently pointed the Tap Water rights article to here as the general discussion thread.

Summarising rights in different areas -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39881236

"All licensed premises in England and Wales are required by law to provide "free potable water" to their customers upon request. In Scotland a similar law applies, but specifies "tap water fit for drinking".

This means pubs, bars, nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, takeaway food and drink outlets, cinemas, theatres, and even village and community halls - so long as they are authorised to serve alcohol.

There is no law regarding the provision of drinking water in licensed premises in Northern Ireland."

Relative to the Tap Water rights page -

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/tap-water-rights

"Q. Must restaurants serve free tap water?

A. Not necessarily. It's a common misconception that you're automatically entitled to free drinking water - but actually only licensed establishments (those that serve alcohol) in England, Wales and Scotland must provide it.

In Northern Ireland, there's no equivalent provision. Restaurant owners don't have to provide anything free"

jouef

motorguy wrote: »

Not in NI it isnt - and you know this is the NI board, right?

Quite right, however there is no obvious indication that this is an NI thread, and the main UK article points here thus: 'This is the discussion thread for the Tap Water guide'. It seems to me sensible to discuss the three different laws in the same place, with explanation (such as the one you have so clearly given).

And as you said earlier, it's still relevant - I too find the demand based around H2O costing nothing quite short-sighted when the oncosts - staff, glassware, cleaning, heating, lighting, rent, depreciation etc - are the same as for serving pop or alcohol while the opportunity cost is actually far greater.

Is it true that where tap water must be offered free, a charge for its service is allowed?