HALFORDS are taking action after a shocking video appeared to show staff calling a customer a “f** idiot” behind his back.
Aspiring mechanic Gareth Cranston took his car into the Seafield Branch of Halfords in Edinburgh on April 7, to get his brakes looked at.
After leaving it to be inspected and later being told there was nothing wrong, he checked dash cam footage – to find the staff members verbally abusing him behind his back.
Gareth, 31, had told staff at the garage he was an aspiring mechanic looking for work experience and in the video, staff can seemingly be heard mocking him.
At the start of the footage, one staff member says: “F** idiot yeah? F** idiot that guy.”
Another appears to imitate Gareth saying: “‘Oh I don’t want to buy f* all.’ Is that what he says?”
He continues saying: “‘Oh I want to be a mechanic” in a mocking tone, before making a disparaging but inaudible comment.
Speaking about the incident, Gareth said he was hugely disappointed with the treatment he received.
He said: “My brakes were making a noise when slowing down, so I asked for a free cambelt check for my car. I was then informed that I don’t need that check.
“So further to that discussion I mentioned to the guy in reception area that I am personally interested in learning more about cars, and explained that I have approached garages in the past to ask if they would take me on a few hours, one day a week to learn.
“So after I left my keys and went home to await the call that my car was ready to pick up, I went to pick it and was told there was nothing wrong and was told it could possibly be friction on the brakes.
“So later on I decided to check my dash cam and to my horror I was subject to being verbally abused by one of the technicians, calling me “a f** idiot” twice.
“The guy doing the hand signals is the guy I had handed my keys to and had the discussion about wanting to learn, so he has obviously went and disrespected me to his team mates.
“I will not tolerate any form of bullying, verbal or physical abuse and be disrespected from Halfords staff.”
Gareth says he was initially offered a £25 gift voucher but labelled this offer “ridiculous.”
After posting about the incident on Facebook, one of Gareth’s friends said: “Tell them to stick their £25 gift voucher up their hoops.”
Whilst another added: “That’s insulting.”
A Halfords Autocentres spokesman said: “After listening to the video a number of times it’s unclear who the comments are directed at.
“Regardless, the language and tone is unacceptable and we are taking the appropriate action.
“We have apologised unreservedly to Mr Cranston and have offered him a gesture of goodwill.”
