Blind man with guide dog told to ‘get out’ of Swansea Shop

On a care free trip with friends and his wife in Swansea last Monday (26th November 2018), Stephen Ricketts who is blind and has a guide dog was shocked to be told to ‘Get out’ of the Swansea Food Centre shop in High St.

Here Stephen tells us his story:

“We got up that day and decided to go on a train trip local, so we went to Swansea. When we got there, we went for a walk around and have a coffee but we got lost!”

“Swansea has changed a lot over the years, so we decided to go looking for a shop. On looking around we met other guide dog owners and stopped to have a friendly chat in the precinct.”

“Whilst there, started to attract a crowd because so many people wanted to see the dogs.”

“It was great fun chatting to people about our dogs, but time came to leave. We said our goodbyes to them all and went on our way.”

“We were really enjoying and having a good day, so on the way back to the station, we saw a shop and decided to call in.”

“I took about ten steps into the shop when a lady told us to ‘get out!’”

“I said, but it’s a guide dog!”

“She said that she didn’t care and continued to say get out. I stood my ground and said again that it was a guide dog, but again shouted “no get that dog out now!”

“We went back out on the street and started walking away when my wife looked back and saw that the shopkeeper had followed us out!”

“We both just walked away from them upset and it spoilt a good day.  I also didn’t sleep much that night thinking what may or not would have happened if I did stand my ground.”

“So people I spoke to said that we should put it on Facebook and we’ve reported them to Guide Dogs Wales!”

“Guide Dogs are highly trained animals and people put all of their trust and faith into them, with them becoming a part of the family as well as providing assistance.”

“I just don’t understand why they’d have a problem!”

Andrea Gordon, Engagement Manager for Guide Dogs Cymru, said:

“Guide dogs are working animals, not pets, and their owners rely on them for both independence and mobility. Under the Equality Act 2010, guide dog and other assistance dog owners have the right to enter food shops or other food premises with their dog, as the dog’s very special training means it is unlikely to be a risk to hygiene in these premises.”

“Guide Dogs Cymru is always happy to work with service providers to help them develop a better understanding of their obligations under the act, and we will be writing to the shop in this instance.”

The City and County of Swansea Council report on their website that:

Assistance dogs in restaurants/cafés

An assistance dog is instantly recognisable by the harness it wears and the special tag on its collar. The Food Standards Agency advises that an exception is usually made for assistance dogs as a result of the following qualities:

• Assistance dogs are highly trained working dogs, not pets.
• An assistance dog will not wander freely around the premises.
• An assistance dog will sit or lie quietly on the floor next to its owner.
• Assistance dogs are trained to go to the toilet on command and so are unlikely to foul in a public place.

 The Equality Act 2010 says that anyone who provides services, goods or facilities to the public cannot refuse to provide their service to a disabled person for a reason relating to that person’s disability.

The Act also requires a service provider to make reasonable adjustments to any practice, policy or procedure which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to make use of the goods, facilities or services in question.

We’ve contacted Swansea Food Centre for a comment but they hung up.