Rapper Silvastone hits back at Miller & Carter Maidstone after being refused entry
16:28, 28 August 2019
updated: 13:20, 29 August 2019
A rapper has hit back at a restaurant after being refused entry.
Afrobeats artist Silvastone had been in Maidstone to meet with the council about his youth mentoring programmes following the fatal stabbing of Andre Bent over the weekend.
After the meeting, he, along with his business partner, stopped at Miller & Carter, in Sandling Road, to get lunch.
The 35-year-old was told on the door by a female member of staff he did not meet the dress code to be allowed inside.
The Move Body singer said: "The lady just pointed to a sign and said I couldn't come in because of the way I was dressed.
"I have been in meetings, I am wearing a T-shirt because its hot, smart trainers, I thought it was terrible.
"This is a way to kind of outcast a certain demographic and clothing.
"They just look at your appearance and judge you. It's 2019, you know.
"How would that impact a young mind, like the youths I mentor, you don't want you people feeling like that. It's an outdated mindset.
"We don't want to feel like a second class citizen but that is how I feel.
"It is disgraceful."
Silvastone took to Twitter to show his upset. He wrote: "How can I go for a lunch meeting in an empty Miller and Carter and be refused service because of how I look, but the white couple behind me are served.
"Wow racism is real."
"We do have a smart casual dress code at our restaurants and don't allow clothing such as hats, tracksuits, trainers and baggy/ripped jeans."
They asked the Croydon-based rapper to send them a direct message but he has told KentOnline he is not interested in sending them a reply.
He added: " I was not impressed with their response, I'm not interested in getting free food from them.
"I won't eat from there ever again."
His mentoring programme White Huts Studio Education offers music workshops to young people in the hope of inspiring them.
He had decided to come to the town, to discuss his programme with Maidstone Borough Council, after hearing of the tragic death of Andre.
Miller and Carter has been contacted for comment.
Latest news
‘I was fined £500 for leaving neatly folded donations by clothes bank - this isn’t fly-tipping’
Family of schoolgirl disabled in bus crash tell how their lives turned upside down
Emergency cordon at museum while radioactive object removed
