A French cafe that reportedly banned squaddies for “being English” dismissed the “crazy” claim and says it was a misunderstanding.
Florent Neveur who runs Creperie la Falaise in Vierville-sur-Mer in Normandy near Omaha Beach – the beach made famous for the D-Day landingds, says claims sodliers were banned over their nationality “did not make sense”.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Florent, who runs the cafe with his mother Yvette, said: “I have friends all over the world, I never speak about nationality. Why would I say that on Omaha Beach? I welcome everyone from all over the world.
“Two buses came on Monday about 12.30pm – when it was a very busy time for us. I said, ‘Guys, I’m so sorry. I have to be focused on my restaurant, I can’t help you, I can’t leave my other customers.'”
The eatery holds 36 people inside along with a few tables outside with an option for takeaways and ice creams as well.
Florent claims he was busy when the English squaddies arrived, but says he offered takeaway ice cream and a coffee for the bus driver.
The 31-year-old told the Mail he had “no need” to defend himself after being targeted by trolls on Tripadvisor.
Commenting on one negative review, he said: “This is a busy place, sometimes I have to say you can’t eat here because we are full.”
He says he is “angry” about the abuse he has received on social media.
The row over the Creperie la Falaise was sparked by battlefield tour guide Eugenie Brooks who took to social media to claim troops had been denied service.
She said: “This cafe at Vierville Draw at Omaha Beach Normandy refused to serve my British Army soldiers today as ‘they are English’. An utter disgrace & I will NEVER EVER EVER take any of my tours there again.”
The Creperie la Falaise has a two star rating on Tripadvisor.
This includes 61 “terrible” reviews and 19 “poor”.
One reviewer said: ” As I said the staff was rude, commenting something about us at loud with each other something in French, from what I understood they didn’t heard our `bonjour` good enough.”
