New Zealand hotel bans lycra shorts to avoid 'unsightly bumps and bulges'

A New Zealand hotel has banned lycra shorts to prevent any "unsightly bumps and bulges" being on display while people are eating.

The Plough Hotel in Rangiora, North Canterbury, has just started to serve breakfast and owner Mike Saunders has now decided to completely ban tight-fitting shorts to prevent customers copping an eyeful in the mornings.

"We just want to set the standards out here in the country and make sure people wear trousers when they go out for breakfast," Saunders told stuff.co.nz.

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"It's just a little unsuitable, we don't always want to see any unsightly bumps and bulges."

"We get a nice group of customers out here, some elderly folk . . . when you're trying to concentrate on your breakfast you just want to see the sausages on your plate."

Saunders said he hoped cyclists wouldn't take too much offence at the new rule, but sounded unconcerned about any potential backlash.

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He said: "If there's hordes of cyclists outside threatening to bash us with their bike pumps we can always barricade ourselves in, we've got a bit of food and drink here so we should be able to outlast them."

But Tracy Clark, chairwoman of the local Pegasus Cycling Club, said the move showed a "lack of understanding" about cyclists.

"There's people in New Zealand now who have grown up disconnected from bicycles," Clark said, "have no understanding of what it is to get out there and ride and see the scenery, they are interested in getting in their car and driving place to place.

"I think it's just some ignorance or lack of understanding."