BOSTON -- Former President Jimmy Carter, accompanying his wife on a book publicity tour, was turned away from the elegant Copley Plaza Hotel restaurant last week because he was not wearing a jacket, the Boston Herald reported Saturday.

Carter was told his cardigan sweater was not acceptable and was turned away from the downtown hotel's Cafe Plaza, the Boston Herald's 'Eye' column said.


A chagrined secret service agent pointed out it was the former president being turned away, but Maitre D' Ursula Stadt did not change her mind.

'All the more reason he should wear a jacket,' Ms. Stadt said, according to the Herald.

Copley Plaza's managing director, Alan Tremain, said Carter did not return to the hotel following the incident.

Cafe Plaza Maitre D' Heinz Bunger told UPI he did not bar Carter from the restaurant and would not confirm whether Ms. Stadt, the restaurant's morning Maitre D', refused to seat the former president.

'She was confused,' he said. 'She did not know if it was the president,' Bunger said of Ms. Stadt.

He said he saw Rosalynn Carter at the hotel Monday and Tuesday while in town to promote her book, 'First Lady From Plains,' but he did not see the former president.