The Only Way Is Essex nightclub Sugar Hut turns away woman for being too fat

Glitzy nightclub Sugar Hut – owned by The Only Way Is Essex star Kirk Norcross – allegedly turned away a size 16 woman for being too FAT.

Jess Tofts, 25, was stunned when doormen at the Hertford nightspot barred her because she looked ”like a lumberjack” in her party dress.

She was later told by friends who work at the club that bouncers have a secret policy to refuse larger girls.

The nightclub denies this and claims she was turned away because her checked frock breached a new dress code.

But Jess, from Harlow, Essex, believes the club is discriminating against larger girls because the management only wants “skinny” women like those on the ITV2 show.

She said: “The place is known for being quite casual but we got dressed up and made an effort because it was a special event.

“I was wearing a checked dress that was appropriate for my size. I thought it was very pretty and suited my shape.

“We got up to the door and the doorman got called back inside by an area manager. He came back and said he couldn’t let me in wearing a lumberjack shirt.

“My friend wasn’t dressed any differently than I was, except she’s a size 8 and I’m not. I think they wanted skinny girls looking like the ones in The Only Way Is Essex.

“I’m friends with people who work at the club and the next day they told me that they were choosing who could come in depending on their size.

“I was told that two other bigger girls were turned away that night. I dress appropriately for my size and to be turned away because of it really got to me.

“I have never felt discriminated against before and I was embarrassed that I had promised my friends a great night out and then we had to leave.

“I’m quite sensitive about my weight and to be turned away was really offensive.”

Jess, who is a customer service assistant at Asda and mother of baby Elizabeth, one, decided to treat herself to a night out with friends on February 17 this year.

But the single mum, who lives with her partner Tomrad, has vowed to never visit Sugar Hut again after she was turned away because of her weight.

Sugar Hut club manager, Ronnie Banks, has denied discriminating against larger women at the relaunch party.

He said: £That’s completely ludicrous. We don’t discriminate against size, sexual orientation or anything else.

“The venue has undergone an extensive refurbishment. It looks amazing and our standards are higher so it’s purely a dress code decision.

“We turned away many boys and men that night because of how they were dressed.

“Our dress code is smart casual. Some people’s idea of smart dress is different to somebody else’s.”