On Saturday 4th Feb, I went with my sister to the Margate Pet Shop, Paw Prince, to see if my daughter would be able to get around the shop in her wheelchair. We were hoping that the owner had reconsidered her unlawful attitude since my last visit to her shop with the Mayor of Margate and had possibly made some positive changes which would allow wheelchair access in her shop. But, I was shocked by what I found. Not only had she ignored our complaint about the obstructions in the shop, she has now built a five foot high wall of boxes of dried dog food, from the front door almost up to the shelving fixtures in the centre of her shop, leaving just enough space for one thin person to walk through! The wall of boxes completely blocks any access into the "corner" that she said she had allocated for people in wheelchairs and babies in pushchairs to wait for her to serve them.
Even if a wheelchair user was able to "park in the corner and wait for her to serve them", (which was her only contribution to allow wheelchairs users into her shop that she'd offered during my last visit accompanied by the Mayor ), no one would be able to see them because of the height of the wall!
I didn't want another confrontation with her, but before I left the shop I said to her "This is wrong. You think you are above the law"!
By stacking these large and heavy boxes of dried dog food, unsupported and at height where it could easily be accidentally pushed over and hurt or even kill a child or elderly person, she has contravened the Health and Safety rules and the Thanet District Council can now take action against her?
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UPDATE: RE EHRC Eaqualities Mediation Service.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
7) Laura Sandys MP gets reply from Equality and Human Rights Commission on Margate pet shop owner
Our MP, Laura Sandys, has forwarded the response she received from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, after I sent the email informing her of the events that happened during my last visit to the pet shop accompanied by the Mayor of Margate. Laura Sandys replied that she had "read this with great concern" and would forward my correspondence to the E&HRC. I must admit, I wasn't very hopeful that she would get any better response than I did when this all began in August 2010 which first prompted me to contact the Commission.
However Laura Sandys did get a better response than I had. She received a letter from Group Director Corporate Management at the E&HRC, who told our MP that she was also "concerned to hear about the treatment that my daughter had received from the owner of the Margate pet shop, and was further concerned to hear about the subsequent treatment we received in trying to resolve this issue with the assistance of the town Mayor".. The Director provided a detailed explanation of Part 3 of the Equality Act 2010 and in particular pointed out a more detailed account of Section 20 of the Act which states that, the service provider has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in relation to the services they provide and to anticipate the needs of potential disabled customers, simply ensuring that some access is available, would not be sufficient to meet their duty to make reasonable adjustments to that enjoyed by the rest of the public and to a standard normally offered to the public at large. The Director also went on to say that "where there is a physical feature or obstructions (such as the parrot food etc). in the aisle, it puts the disabled person at a substantial disadvantage compared with people who are not disabled.
The Director also offered us a mediation service which is independent and free of charge ( this possibility of mediation, had not previously been disclosed to us during my earlier correspondence with E&HRC), Our case would be referred to Mediation Works, a company contracted by the Commission. Of course the service is reliant on the pet shop owner agreeing to enter into mediation and a successful outcome can't be guaranteed.
The E&HRC Director, has also offered to write to the shop owner with the details of the complaint and stating that there has been a breach of the Equality Act and asking the owner to consider mediation to resolve this complaint. She has also provided a phone number which will give us access to a Casework & Litigation Officer, for further advise. I have called the number and left a voice message ... we are waiting for a return call.
However Laura Sandys did get a better response than I had. She received a letter from Group Director Corporate Management at the E&HRC, who told our MP that she was also "concerned to hear about the treatment that my daughter had received from the owner of the Margate pet shop, and was further concerned to hear about the subsequent treatment we received in trying to resolve this issue with the assistance of the town Mayor".. The Director provided a detailed explanation of Part 3 of the Equality Act 2010 and in particular pointed out a more detailed account of Section 20 of the Act which states that, the service provider has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in relation to the services they provide and to anticipate the needs of potential disabled customers, simply ensuring that some access is available, would not be sufficient to meet their duty to make reasonable adjustments to that enjoyed by the rest of the public and to a standard normally offered to the public at large. The Director also went on to say that "where there is a physical feature or obstructions (such as the parrot food etc). in the aisle, it puts the disabled person at a substantial disadvantage compared with people who are not disabled.
The Director also offered us a mediation service which is independent and free of charge ( this possibility of mediation, had not previously been disclosed to us during my earlier correspondence with E&HRC), Our case would be referred to Mediation Works, a company contracted by the Commission. Of course the service is reliant on the pet shop owner agreeing to enter into mediation and a successful outcome can't be guaranteed.
The E&HRC Director, has also offered to write to the shop owner with the details of the complaint and stating that there has been a breach of the Equality Act and asking the owner to consider mediation to resolve this complaint. She has also provided a phone number which will give us access to a Casework & Litigation Officer, for further advise. I have called the number and left a voice message ... we are waiting for a return call.
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