J D Wetherspoons

Is a pub chain that has a policy of no piped music in it's pubs apart from the small number of Lloyds No. 1 pubs. It is expanding at the rate of two pubs a week and intends to open more pubs in rural or semi-rural areas. Weatherspoons pubs are largely wonderful: where else would you be able to enjoy a cheap pint and a reasonable meal in a muzak-free environment with effective non-smoking and children’s areas? Nowhere!

Other Venues with No Piped Music

Tesco: muzak is not played in food areas of its supermarkets. However, the music is often very loud in non-food areas and you should make a point of complaining about this. Tesco provides free envelopes and postage for customer complaints.

Sainsbury: no muzak at all, but the company may reconsider. Make sure that you protest about this potential change of policy.

National Trust Properties, cafes and restaurants.

Marks and Spencer: largely muzak free but it has installed muzak in a few branches and is uncertain whether to install muzak nationally. Please protest!

The Quiet Pint

The fourth edition of "The Quiet Pint" is now available. This lists pubs in the UK that do not play muzak. Send cheques for £9 and add £0 postage to:

Derek Dempster, 16 Archery Square, Walmer, Kent. CY14 7HP.

The Good Hotel Guide

The Good Hotel Guide 2001: UK and Ireland. Ed. Caroline and Adam Raphael. Ebury Press.

Volume 1 of this edition is published on 7th September. Information is given in every entry about whether there is piped music, and the editors actively campaign against this form of noise pollution in hotels. Over a third of the hotels are included in the Guide's voucher scheme, giving a reduction of 25% on the cost of B & B.

Where did the quiet pub or restaurant go? Make your complaint here.
 

Yates Wine Lodge

A generally awful pub chain that serves plastic surroundings, plastic food and over-loud muzak to it’s undiscriminating customers. You can complain directly from the company website at:

Yates Wine Lodge

just click on the customer feedback button. Or contact head office at:

Yates Brothers Wine Lodges plc, Peter Yates House, Manchester Road, Bolton. BL3 2PY. Tel. 01204 373737. email: info@yates-bros.co.uk

Bella Pasta

Bella Pasta restaurants not only have piped music inside but it commits the unpardonable crime of piping muzak into the street in some venues. If this is the case an effective complaint can only be made by complaining to the local manager and then writing to Head Office and also to the local authority. Head Office address is: Bella Pasta, 163 Eversholt Street, London. tEL. 020 7121 3200.

Whitbread

The company own an enormous range of businesses but the main website is at:

Whitbread - where you will find that you can complain directly to the company.

Whitbread Group PLC, CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9HX. Telephone: 020 7606 4455.

Whitbread Restaurants, Whitbread Court, PO BOX 777, Dunstable, LU5 5XE. Telephone: 01582 424 200

Whitbread Hotel Company, Oakley House, Oakley Road, Luton LU4 9QH. Telephone: 01582 422 022

David Lloyd Leisure, P O Box 888, Dunstable LU5 5XA. Telephone: 01582 844899

Whitbread Leisure Vouchers, Whitbred Chambers, Park Street West, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 3BG. Telephone:01582 396666

Procurement and Food Supply Chain, Whitbread House, Park Street West, Luton,Bedfordshire LU1 3BG. Email: supplier.info@whitbread.com

WHITBREAD RELATED WEB SITES:

Whitbread Restaurants
www.beefeater.co.uk
www.brewersfayre.co.uk
www.caferouge.co.uk
www.costa.co.uk
www.pizzahut.co.uk
www.tgifridays.co.uk
www.eatingoutandout.co.uk

Whitbread Hotels
www.go.marriott.com/uk
www.travelinn.co.uk

The Brewery
www.thebrewery.chiswellstreet.com

Whitbread Sports Health & Fitness
www.davidlloydleisure.co.uk