A man claims he was kicked out of a Wetherspoon pub in the West Country when questioning why staff were allowing able-bodied people to use the disabled toilet. The ordeal unfolded when Keith Rowe visited Try Dowr, in Truro, earlier this month.
The 56-year-old said he was made to "feel like a rat trapped in the corner" saying he was "cornered" by staff who escorted him out of the building for querying the policy. His late wife, who passed away in February 2022, would often go to use the facilities and find able-bodied people "nonchalantly" coming out of them and he's continuing the fight for her, reports Cornwall Live.
But Wetherspoon bosses say he was asked to leave because his tone was 'unnecessarily confrontational'.
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He said: "I have been through the trials and tribulations of how this was difficult for Tanya, who was my wife and being cared for by myself until her death. Tan (who used an electric wheelchair) and me had problems in every Spoons we went and just getting shrugged shoulders is not good enough and totally unfair on those who actually need the disabled toilet and are being made to wait to use it."
While waiting for his lunch, Mr Rowe became frustrated watching seemingly able-bodied people coming and going from the disabled toilet without closing the door. He then questioned a staff member on why it was being allowed.
Ordinarily, disabled toilets remain locked and can be accessed by a Radar key - or disabled key-holder. These are easy to get hold of and most disabled people will have access to one.
"The next thing that happened was a member of staff went in there to check the toilet and did not shut the door thus rendering it open as a free use toilet so I got up and asked why she did not lock the door. The next thing, hell up.
"The manager came over accusing me of swearing and said that I was being abusive in front of families. I asked her what is the point of having a Radar key when you leave it open."
He continued: "I then lost my cool with her after my words fell on deaf ears and she ordered me out of the place in full view of ogling rubberneckers and also said I am not welcome here again, so I did not even get the chance to finish my dinner and coffee."
He said it left him out of pocket and feeling completely disheartened. "I was ganged upon by two of three servers and made to feel like a rat trapped in the corner.
"It wasn't nice but what has really made me mad is the lack of enforcing the disabled toilet policy. I sincerely hope that something can be actioned over Wetherspoons' inability to provide secure and safe disabled toilet access for people who need it."
A spokesperson for J D Wetherspoon said: “Mr Rowe questioned staff as to use of the accessible toilet at the pub. They would have been glad to deal with his query but it was made in a manner which the employees concerned felt was unnecessarily confrontational. Accordingly he was rightly asked to leave the pub.
"There are many disabilities which are not obvious. Our employees are not entitled to ask customers to explain why they might wish to use our pub's accessible toilets or insist they use a Radar key."
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