STARBUCKS have been accused of kicking out a injured homeless man who tried to buy coffee at one of their Glasgow stores.
Erin Gray claimed the man was holding a £5 note but was still ordered out of the chain’s Sauchiehall Street branch.
In April a medical student claimed a homeless man was kicked out of Starbucks Glasgow West End branch and three months before that, a teenager was told to “let nature take its course” after she bought a homeless man a sandwich at the Royal Exchange store.
In the latest case, Erin posted about her outrage after visiting the Sauchiehall branch, writing: “Upon entering the store, an employee was in the process of removing a homeless man.
“This man clearly had a £5 note in his hands and just wanted something hot to cope with the appalling weather.
“He was told if he wanted something to try the other Starbucks branch ‘a 5 minute walk away’.”
She added: “This man was very visibly suffering from a leg injury and could barely stand. Soaked from the weather he calmly and quietly left the store.”
The Strathclyde University student vowed to boycott the firm.
She added: “As a loyal Starbucks customer, witnessing this behaviour first hand was disgusting. For a company and a individual to treat anyone this way, never mind someone who is clearly struggling is horrific.
“What gives anyone the right to turn anyone away from some basic comfort?
“Some common decency and kindness is more important than a cappuccino.”
Within the comments of the post Erin said she bought the man a coffee and followed him down the street to give it to him.
On social media, Nora Barnes said: “Disgraceful shame on you Starbucks! I will never frequent your establishment again!”
Craig Brannan said: “Absolutely disgraceful you need to face scum like that, let everyone in the shop see this happening, that really gets me.”
Jade Rosborough commented: “Not the first time Starbucks has done this and other vulgar things. Boycott!”
Laney Halley said: “You should post this on the Starbucks page, that man’s money should be as good as anyone else’s.”
Starbucks have been approached for comment, but did not reply by the time of publication.
In April this year, a Glasgow medical student claimed a homeless man was chucked out whilst queuing for a coffee.
Eleanor Wilson was in the West End and said the homeless man was “talking to the people around him but didn’t seem to be causing any bother” before he was escorted out of the premises.
In January, 14-year-old Amy McIlroy claimed that after going into a Starbucks in Exchange Place to buy food for a shivering and soaked homeless young man she was told she would be better “saving her money and letting nature take its course”.
Almost 100 homeless Scots have died in the past year, according to reports today. The total for the past 12 months stands at 94, 47 of them in Glasgow alone.
Earlier this year, Starbucks closed all their U.S stores to teach ‘racial bias training.’
The coffee chain shut more than 8000 stores in May in what the company said was: “isn’t a solution, it’s a first step.” This followed two black men being arrested in one of their stores, however when police turned up the men explained they were there for a business meeting.
