Popular pub chain Wetherspoon has found itself in hot water this week after supposedly banning its staff from wearing poppies in the run up to Remembrance Day.

In a Twitter post from the account @Wetherspoon_UK, followers were told: “Due to the ever expanding multiculturalism of our clientele and employees this year our staff will not be wearing the poppy while working.”

Glasgow Times:

In just three days, the post had thousands of reactions and countless more comments from angry pub-goers, many of whom began to make some very controversial statements.

The hashtag #BoycottWetherspoons was also quickly picked up with angry users of the site continuing to hit out at the chain.

Alas, it turns out the “announcement” from a spoof account was not genuine.

For those who know how Twitter works and looked up the account’s biography - and checked for a verified blue tick - it reads: “The high streets favorite pub for drink, food & despair! PARODY! NOT JD Wetherspoon!”

The real Wetherspoon has since issued a statement on the matter hitting out at “digital trolls” and urging the public to “please ignore spoof sites.”

The team said: “Yet again, the spoof Wetherspoon twitter account @Wetherspoon_UK has crossed the line with its distasteful and insensitive tweet about the wearing of poppies.

“J D Wetherspoon is in no way connected with this Twitter account and neither shares nor condones its posts.

“In our opinion, although the unofficial spoof account is stated to be a parody account, tweets like this are simply not funny.”

The statement was signed off with the hashtag “#digitaltrolls.”