Punter claims he was refused entry to Streatham pub for having England flag

Football fan David Nel, 45, labelled his ordeal “political correctness gone berserk” after, he said, staff told him to remove the St George’s Cross from his mobility scooter when he visited the pub last Sunday.

The Samuel Johnson pub in Mitcham Lane, which was recently rebranded as the Furzedown, now claims the incident was a misunderstanding over whether Mr Nel could access the disabled ramp.

However, this claim was branded “rubbish” by Mr Nel, who said he had used the pub’s beer garden on many occasions without issue.

Mr Nel said: “I was quite offended. This is England, and there’s a World Cup on. Every second car has an England flag displayed.

“It’s disgraceful this should be tolerated. I felt insulted for who I am in my own country.

“I’ve heard that some people see flying the flag as racist, but that’s absolute rubbish. I think it’s political correctness gone berserk.”

Mr Nel, a former electrician who lost the use of his legs 15 years ago to leukaemia, bought the flag to support England in the World Cup.

The Thrale Road resident, who has been drinking there for 12 years, was hoping to spend a quiet afternoon at the pub reading his newspaper.

The irony is the pub takes pride in its connections to Dr Johnson, who published his Dictionary of the English Language in 1755.

In September, the owner celebrated 300 years since the author’s birth by installing a commemorative plaque.

Last month, Mayor of London Boris Johnson began a campaign to reinstall national pride in the English flag, which he claimed had been hijacked by extreme right wing parties.

And the Royal Society of St George, a non-political charity which aims to promote English identity, said it was important to take pride in national heritage.

The office manager of the Furzedown said: “It was nothing to do with the flag. It was a misunderstanding and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”