Having shopped at Marks and Spencers for some years, I’ll think twice before going back after reading a story about their branch in Stockport, Greater Manchester. It seems Susan Curran, a 58-year cerebral palsy sufferer, used the store’s disabled toilet, and used the emergency pull cord to summon staff assistance when she found difficulty in dressing again.
But when Ms Curran returned to the store again she was presented with a ‘Trespass Order’ preventing her from using any of Marks and Spencer’s stores nationwide. Apparently the company felt that the possibility of Ms Curran asking store staff for further assistance represented a significant ‘health and safety danger’. The order stated that ‘your right as a member of the public to enter into any of our premises is now withdrawn’.
Of course once the story appeared in the media, the company apologised for the Trespass Order, which it claims was issued in error. It asked that Ms Curran try to ensure that she was accompanied in future by somebody who was better able to assist her, rather than calling upon M&S staff. Ms Curran doesn’t actually have anyone who could assist in this way, so quite what happens next time is unclear.
These days, disabled access is not just desirable, it’s legally required, and for your disabled toilet to have a ‘red triangle’ alarm cord, yet not to have trained staff to assist in the event that it’s pulled seems to be gross misrepresentation.
This is not just disabled access – this is Marks and Spencer’s disabled access…
