Banned from local shop

[Jossina]

Our local lifestyle shop delivers our newspapers. A few weeks ago we did not receive a weekly paper so my husband went in to collect one. The male shopkeeper would not let him have a paper saying it had definitely been delivered, his wife had put the papers in the paper boys bag so they had been delivered. He raised his voice to my husband so my husband raised his voice back saying it may have been delivered but not to our house! The shopkeeper then says my husband is banned! All over a 75p paper.

 

The following day I went into the shop and asked if customer service was any better today he immediately started shouting that I was abusing him and he wasn't going to serve me! He then stormed off and locked himself in the back room! I walked out saying I would never buy anything from the shop again.

Today I went to the post office which is a small sub post office inside the shop, so I had to walk through the shop to get to it. I did not buy from the shop. The shopkeepers wife approached me and said had I had an apology from the paper boy - I said no I hadn't but it wasn't the boys apology I wanted (mistakes happen) but I wanted an apology from her husband for calling both me and my husband liars. All she kept saying was it was the paper boys fault! I kept calm and said nothing and started to walk away and the shopkeeper started shouting "you are banned and don't come to the post office either"

 

No I have phoned the post office and apparently if these people own the shop (which they do) they can stop me walking through to access the post office. Now I can cope without using the shop but being unable to use the post office is very inconvenient indeed. Are they within their rights to do this?

Edited July 25, 2014 by citizenB

[renegadeimp]

yep. It's a private shop/dwelling. They can restrict access to whoever they like. However, if its the only post office around, and you need to get a giro or benefits from the counter, then i dont think they can restrict you from there. Although in that scenario, they can restrict you from the rest of the shop.

[rebel11]

Hi Jossina

 

Welcome to CAG

 

Write a Letter of Complaint, mark it as such. Explain what's happened, how it's unfair and what you would like them to do. Maybe she can speak to them to smooth things over, at least you get access to the Post Office part.

 

Send it to:-

 

Ms Paula Vennells

Managing Director

paula.vennells@postoffice.co.uk

[i hate bailiffs]

They old saying you please one customer they tell 5 people

 

Upset 1 customer and they tell 10

Sounds like it is a badly run outfit

They will be the one suffering in the long run

[Conniff]

Find review sites on line and let the world know.

[Sidewinder]

You could also try the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, if they are members

[ploddertom]

As a retailer & ex-postmaster you can ban whoever you want from your premises for whatever reason. As for there being a PO on the premises then unless they have changed the T&C then if you have to walk through the shop to gain access to the PO the same applies - doesn't matter if it is the only one for miles or not. The only person who can help is either the proprietor or in the case of the PO their Area Manager or Field Change Advisor who may be able to bring pressure.

[fletch70]

Quite agree with PT. It is private property and as such the retailer can ban anyone they like and really there is nothing you can do if diplomacy and maybe the P.O. area manager can not smooth things over.

 

Remember that this is not part of a large group it is an independent shop and they can do whatever they like. Bad publicity may or may not force them to reconsider but from what you say I suspect not. Is the wife being reasonable?

From vast experience with independent retailers it is often the wife who wears the trousers (but always say it's their absent hubby who makes the decisions)