Bar slammed for refusing to serve soldiers before funeral

The soldiers serving as pallbearers for Corporal Michael Thacker's funeral just wanted hot drinks to "calm their nerves" before carrying his coffin through Coventry Cathedral. But when they went to Browns Bar, they were told that soldiers weren't welcome, citing a policy against serving those in uniform. "Why are you not allowed in just because of your uniform?" pallbearer Cpl. David Allison asked. "You're serving your country." A "Boycott Browns" Facebook group quickly collected 57,000 members, prompting an apology from owner Ken Brown. "I have since been made aware of why these soldiers were in Coventry," Brown said on Wednesday. "Had I known of the circumstances, I would have willingly served them." Cpl Thacker, 27, was killed serving in Afghanistan.