Vicar
A Suffolk vicar who believes socks are a satanic instrument was refused entry to an Ipswich bar for wearing sandals Getty

A Suffolk vicar who believes socks are an "instrument of Satan" was reportedly stopped from entering a bar for wearing sandals over the Easter weekend.

While trying to enter The Wine Bar in Ipswich, Reverend Andrew Dotchin of St Botolph church in Whitton was asked to leave citing health and safety concerns.

Socks are an instrument of Satan - if you look at any pictures of stained glass windows, look at the toes - no one in heaven is wearing socks. Jesus says only wear sandals in Mark ch 6 v 9. I am practising for heaven
- Reverend Andrew Dotchin

The doorman of the bar refused Dotchin entry as there were glass bottles inside that might "break" or "hurt" the vicar's toe.

"I had limited myself to one pint of beer a day for Lent so on Easter Sunday, I decided to go out and have more than one after finishing work," Dotchin said.

"The doorman, said: 'No flip flops in here,' and refused me entry. He said it was on health and safety grounds because their drinks are in glass bottles."

The vicar had stopped at the bar while on his way home from a beer festival, along with his 30-year-old son and several other friends.

He was wearing his dog collar at the time of refusal of entry and said he was previously never stopped at the bar despite wearing sandals.

Dotchin took on the habit of wearing sandals while in South Africa and says the footwear allows him to follow the word of God.

Speaking to BBC News, Dotchin said: "The Bible says how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news - not these feet, no.

"Socks are an instrument of Satan - if you look at any pictures of stained glass windows, look at the toes - no one in heaven is wearing socks. Jesus says only wear sandals in Mark ch 6 v 9. I am practising for heaven."

Meanwhile, the manager of The Wine Bar, Luke Parkerson, insisted on the no open toe policy and said the policy follows several incidents in the past where customers wearing flip flops have been hurt by broken glass.

Following the incident, Dotchin joked: "We went to the bar next door and when I got there I wrote a status saying I was absolutely gutted, I've been kicked out of a bar again, who would have thought it would happen to a vicar."

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