Phone users told to 'pipe down' by Wetherspoons

Customers asked to switch their phones to silent or use earphones

Customers at a Douglas pub are to be told to switch their phones to silent or use earphones following noise complaints.

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon has announced the ban across its 792 pubs describing it as an 'increasing problem in recent years'.

Namely, the issue is customers using smartphones and iPads for playing videos aloud or having telephone conversations on speakerphone.

Manx Radio has confirmed The Conister Arms is one of the sites included.

In a statement, Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin said: "In a world dominated by other people’s music and amplified sound, Wetherspoon pubs are an oasis of tranquillity and contemplation. 

"In order to avoid customers being driven chicken jalfrezi by a cacophony of sound, we are kindly asking phone users to pipe down."

The chain famously has always had a policy of not having music in its pubs and restaurants as a general rule.

This excludes 44 of its 792 pubs which trade as "Lloyds" and have music at certain times.