Burberry shown the door as bars ban the thugs' uniform

These days, he would probably be turned away at the door.

One female oil worker was aghast when she was banned from a restaurant/bar in

Aberdeen for having a distinctive check designer umbrella and handbag.

She said last night: ''I was going for a drink with my husband at around

10.20pm on Saturday and was told I couldn't get in because I was wearing

Burberry.

''The door staff said Burberry was associated with soccer casuals, but there's

no way I resembled that. I was furious because I was dressed perfectly smartly.

It was a Burberry handbag and umbrella, for goodness sake.''

The Filling Station could be accused of taking its ban too far by most people's

standards. Yet efforts by Rose Marie Bravo, the brand's chief executive, to

make the label more accessible may be fuelling a Burberry backlash, as an

increasing number of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs across Scotland ban its

designs.

Previously aspirational - it was good enough for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At

Tiffany's, the 1961 cinema classic, while Daniella Westbrook, the actress, and

her child were pictured wearing matching Burberry outfits - the brand has

evolved into an anarchic uniform adopted by football hooligan culture and other

troublemakers.

Like Aquascutum, Evisu, and Stone Island, Burberry has fallen foul of tribal

hijacking - the moment when a brand becomes the badge of belonging to a

particular group that is not part of its target market.

An internet joke doing the rounds described a Burberry-clad Mini Metro as the

ultimate car for Glasgow neds.

Earlier this year, Nick Griffin, the BNP leader, was pictured arriving at a

local council election count in Oldham flanked by two minders wearing Burberry

baseball caps, while it has been increasingly adopted by English football

hooligans.

As a result, some venues have introduced a complete ban on the fashion item,

while others have a discretionary admission policy.

At EH1, a bar on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, a spokesman said each case was dealt

with on its own merits. The spokesman added: ''You can have classy Burberry or

schemey Burberry. We would definitely have to think about not letting in

Burberry baseball cap wearers.''

Alan Bannerman, owner of the Phoenix bar in Dundee city centre, said: ''I fully

appreciate where other publicans are coming from. If a young man walks in with

a shaved head and a Burberry cap and shirt, I wouldn't think twice about

whether he was trouble. I believe I speak for at least 90% of pub owners in

Dundee. Burberry has become the badge of thuggery.''

Maureen Lethorn, manager of the Filling Station, confirmed its ban was policy

on Friday and Saturdays.

She said: ''Burberry is a fashion item. Some people wear it as an accessory and

then you have the younger crowds who wear Burberry baseball hats and shirts and

cause trouble wearing it.

''It is a shame there is a small minority who have come here wearing the gear

and have been boisterous. We don't accept that. We've had a number of recurring

incidents of people wearing Burberry and causing problems.

''This is a family restaurant and we don't want rowdies causing trouble so we

took advice from our security staff.''

While Ms Lethorn confirmed the female oil worker had been refused entry by the

door staff, she admitted that she would have used her discretion in that case.

She added: ''Unfortunately, this woman arrived shortly after a group of young

lads were turned away for wearing Burberry. It was more a case of bad timing,

but in this instance I would have had no problems letting her in.

''She was offered entry into the bar, but she refused to speak to me. The door

staff we have are brilliant and it is their discretion who is or is not

allowed in. We can't refuse entry to some people wearing Burberry and then

allow others in - that will only cause problems.''

Mark Loney, manager of the Shack nightclub in Glasgow city centre, said it

operated a discretionary ban on Burberry-clad customers.

He said: ''While we don't have a written policy, we don't generally let people

in who wear Burberry products because of the associations with football

hooligans and neds.''

Burberry declined to make an official comment. But an insider said: ''We have a

massive range of clothing with a huge appeal to all sorts of people. We have

absolutely no control over who buys what and when and where they choose to wear

it.''

chequered history

Where does Burberry originate?

Thomas Burberry opened his first shop in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in 1856. The signature check began as a lining for his ivory trench coats, which are still a best-seller today.

Is Burberry trendy?

Hugely. Once viewed as rather traditional and stuffy, the fashion house is now a catwalk regular. Celebrity wearers include Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, and Robbie Williams. However, there is evidence the brand is creeping into overkill and the realm of street wear with gangs of youths favouring the Burberry baseball cap. Doll's pram, cot, and high-chair sets in an imitation of the check can be bought at Argos.

Who is behind the success?

Rose Marie Bravo, the chief executive, who joined the firm from Saks Fifth Avenue, New York, in 1997 to lead a style reinvention and a flotation of shares last July. She received (pounds) 1.9m last year as a reward for the company's success.

How far flung are Burberry fans?

Fashionable Russians will soon be wrapping themselves in Burberry to keep out the cold, with the firm poised to open its first store in Moscow.