‘I felt humiliated’: Blind man hits out after security guard at M&S asked him to take his guide dog out of store
- Dave Kent, 62, said a security guard told him to take his guide dog out of a shop
- The manager of the M&S offered him a cup of tea when told of the discrimination
- Three quarters of guide dog owners have been turned away at public buildings
A blind executive at the charity Guide Dogs said he felt ‘publicly humiliated’ after he was told to leave a Marks & Spencer shop with his dog.
Dave Kent said a security guard ‘curtly’ told him to take his golden retriever, Faldo, out of the shop in Mortlake, west London, last Friday.
The 62-year-old, who has been blind since he was 18, said the manager simply offered him a cup of tea when made aware of the discrimination.
As Mr Kent neared the till, the guard insisted his dog must leave. Despite Faldo wearing a clearly marked harness, the guard repeated the demand twice. Mr Kent added: ‘Every time this happens, it’s a kick in the nuts. All I want to do is go to Marks & Spencer and do what any seeing person would do in the course of their day.’
Blind executive at the charity Guide Dogs Dave Kent, 62, (pictured with his golden retriever guide dog Faldo) said he felt ‘publicly humiliated’ after he was told to leave a Marks & Spencer shop with his dog in Mortlake, west London last week
He told The Guardian M&S ‘very well’ knew their obligations but that the issue often arose from third-party security companies. Three quarters of guide dog owners have been illegally turned away from public buildings, according to Guide Dogs.
Mr Kent has written to the chief executive of M&S, Steve Rowe, about the issue. ‘To be publicly humiliated in this fashion in sight of other shoppers and members of staff left my dignity in tatters,’ he said.
An M&S spokesman said they would ensure guards were aware of the law and had contacted Mr Kent directly to apologise.