Do Sainsbury's care:

robert_harper_2000

This letter I sent explains some of what happened:

On Friday 4th August 2006 around 6pm I entered your store via the escalator. There were no trolleys available and I went to the help desk to tell them as there were other people also waiting for trolleys. After a while three of us enquired again about the trolley situation and asked to speak to someone. A lady with a headset came over and there was an altercation between her and the three of us about trolleys. She was I thought very rude and told the other gentlemen that he should ring the escalator company himself she made this very clear and was quite loud.

We complained about the lady to the help desk again the three of us asked to speak to the manager and another lady came over and heard us all and told us the manager was coming. After a while we said we could not wait any longer and proceeded to shop. The manager and the second lady found me and spoke to me. I told them my name and where I worked and that I had shopped there since the store opened and what happened. I explained that the escalator was not working, over a long period intermittently. This explained the trolley problem. He told me the escalator was 23 years old that they did not want to spend any money on it because they were thinking of getting a new one. It was a political decision. I thanked him for talking to me and proceeded to shop

On Sunday 6th August 2006 at 3pm in the shop where I have worked for 40 years I was accosted by the lady with the headset from Sainsbury’s and a young man. He said quickly he would “reduce me to tears“ this he was to repeat. He told me he was not interested in anything I had to say and was extremely threatening for some time. The lady from Sainsbury’s openly in front of several customers and an off duty policewoman who was shopping and arranging a micro-chipping for her dog, stated that I was banned from Sainsbury’s she stated that I would be thrown out by the store manager and Sainsbury security because of video evidence.

My son who has worked at the shop for fifteen years was present and he phoned the police in front of the two of them. He then asked them whilst still on the phone to the police whether of not they would leave the premises which they reluctantly did followed by further verbal abuse. I was shocked and upset and immediately phoned Sainsbury’s and spoke to the store manager who I had previously spoken to me. The store manager asked me for a description of the man which I provided and he recognised.

---

Extra information

The Sainsbury store concerned is situated on the busiest gyratory system in Sussex in the centre of Brighton with bus stop outside the main entrance. It was built to Sainsbury’s specification about 23 years ago.

The entrance to the store is served by a 23 year old steep travellator which over the last years is invariability broken down for periods of months (i.e. 3 months at the beginning of this year) it is still broken down now. The staff use the travellator to take long lines of trolleys up to the first floor store for customers use. When the travellator is invariability not working they can be seen pushing long lines of trolleys up the steep entrance of the ground floor car park to inside the entrance of the store.

umami

I am shocked at your account of what happened.It is very scary and this would frightened me a lot. I admire the way you dealt with it.

robert_harper_2000

I have spoken with Sainsbury's solicitors and have been offered £700 but I think I deserve a written apology & letter explaining I am not banned, I have a crime reference number and will go further but I deserve more compensation!

Can't believe how they have treated me!!

robert_harper_2000

The 'off-duty-policewoman' was a witness not threatening us. I will be taking this as far as I can and have spoken to other solicitors. They will regret attacking me!

hawk

I dont know if you know but, anyone touching you without your permission is common assault.

hawk

As far as I can tell the police woman was a bystander getting her dog chipped, did the copper say anything to you directly as you have a comma after the word dog, so it seems you just mentioned a copper was there without doing anything.

Please correct me if im wrong.

hjb123

Gosh what a terrible experience for you. What did the manager say when you spoke to him about it - I assume that this woman and her accomplice did this without him knowing?

I would push for something to happen though when they have offered you £700 that does seem like a pretty good offer! But I would also require an apology - though would you want this woman knowing where you live etc if she has to write a letter?

robert_harper_2000

The police woman was just a bystander I mentioned her as a reliable witness. I have been wirting letters from my shop as I have worked there for 45 years! and am not prepared to be threatened by Sainsbury's because of it!!

The manager didn't seem too suprised and knew both said the young man can be very threatening - has this happened before?

hjb123

If he knew that the young man could be quite threatening then he should have done something about it already - did he also work for sainsburys or just an acquaintance of the woman?

robert_harper_2000

also worked for Sainsbury's

hjb123

In that case both the employees should be dealt with acordingly - they cant go round threatening customers!