Young men suffered discrimination in bar

SIR, — I was shocked by the story that awaited me on opening my constituency office in Newtownards on Tuesday morning.

A young man, who did not wish to be identified, popped in on his way to work, because he wanted me to know of his experience of a night out with two friends the previous Saturday evening.

The three chums went for a drink in a bar in Belfast, only to find themselves thrown out, accused of being drunk. They were not drunk. The issue is that they are all people with disabilities, cerebral palsy, as it happens.

The bar manager, either through ignorance, or because their faces did not fit, decided to evict them, bringing their well-deserved night out to a crashing and early close.

There are clear remedies for this type of discrimination. The Equality Commission, and Disability Action, to name but two bodies, are there exactly to support and promote the best interests of people who others wish to exclude for no other reason than they do not like what they see or hear. I would be more than happy to help in this area.

Yours etc

MIKE NESBITT MLA,

Strangford.