A DISABLED man has divided opinion as he slammed Sainsbury’s after allegedly being refused the use of a staff bathroom despite having a special access card.
The man, who suffers from a condition that leaves him requiring urgent bathroom access, entered the store in Kensington, London yesterday hoping to use the staff loo in his time of need.
The unnamed bloke claims he then showed a pass detailing his requirement for urgent bathroom access to the store manager.
Despite the access card being allegedly issued to him by a bowel specialist, the man says he was refused by the manager in a move he described as “frankly disgusting”.
The man’s full credit card-sized pass, printed in blue and white, reads: “Just can’t wait. I have a medical condition and need to access a toilet urgently. Toilet access card.”
The man claims he discovered that the public bathrooms in the store were closed, forcing him to show his card to the manager in the hopes of using the staff toilet.
However, his hopes were dashed as he was turned away by the manager, leading him to complain directly to the supermarket chain’s executive’s office.
The chain has since replied with an apology and an explanation that the staff toilets – situated up three flights of stairs in the store – are not allowed to be used by the public due to health and safety concerns.
The man shared an image of his card to social media yesterday alongside the caption: “Hi Sainsburys your Kensington store manager Marika just refused me access to a bathroom.
“Despite presenting this. I look forward to your response.”
The post has since received over 16,000 likes and more than 2,000 comments from social media users left divided by the card, with some claiming he is not entitled to use staff bathrooms and others reasoning that he should be afforded every courtesy.
In response the man claimed though not official or NHS-backed, the card was given to him by a bowel specialist and should be respected.
One user said: “Lad, they can’t just let you into their own bathrooms in their staff area. I’m sure there were public ones close by.”
Another added: “So in other words an area of the shop which is off limits to the general public and would render their insurance void in case of an incident? Nice.
“I have a medical condition with my bladder & also have a radar key, never would I ever expect to use a staff toilet by right.”
A third however wrote: “Sainsbury’s should be embarrassed by this. That said, there is also a need to bring back public toilets and stop their closure.”
Another commented: “I have one of these and have been refused to use a toilet on multiple occasions. Businesses really have no idea.”
