..........had the b....y audacity to ask our Daughter to leave his premises!!
What reason did he give?
Something TERRIBLE!!
Why did he ask her to leave ?
Duke
Just said!!
But not exactly NOTW stuff like mine was recently.
I DID! Something terrible!
But to cut it short - Walking Boots & a small Rucksack. Didn't know that one had to de-shoe before entering his Temple.
After the 50 years over which we have kept Harrods going when my Mother lived in Pont Street!!
There are lots of places that have dress codes, I know people who ask visitors to take their shoes off at the front door, cafes and pubs dont allow builders in their work gear, commercial buildings make bike couriers take their helmets off, nightclubs dont allow jeans...... hiking gear doesnt seem appropriate for an upmarket retail emporium - Fayeds premises, his employees enforce his rules. If you dont like it you dont have to shop there.
Quote from: tim on May 09, 2010, 12:23:47
But to cut it short - Walking Boots & a small Rucksack. Didn't know that one had to de-shoe before entering his Temple.
Ah, this happened to myself and a friend years ago when we visited Harrods. I was shopping for a tiara for my wedding day (no, I didn't seriously think I would buy it from there, but one can dream!) and my friend had her young son in a buggy and was wearing a backpack. Security refused us entry because of the backpack. We took a few steps back, put the backpack under the buggy and went in through another door! ;D
@ weequinie - Taking shoes off when visiting someone's house keeps the carpet clean. There are cafe's & pubs that don't allow muddy boots, for the same reason, but personally I've never seen one that doesn't allow them to wear work clothes. Couriers have to remove their helmets for security reasons... You might be right about nightclubs, but this can include some real dives & anyway I would hardly compare Harrods to a nightclub! It's a shop.
I was in "Harrods 2" a few weeks ago (beside Shin Falls in Sutherland). It sells the tackiest tourist tat you will ever see anywhere. I'd like to see them refuse backpacks there!
Quote from: OllieC on May 09, 2010, 14:29:45
@ weequinie - Taking shoes off when visiting someone's house keeps the carpet clean. There are cafe's & pubs that don't allow muddy boots, for the same reason, but personally I've never seen one that doesn't allow them to wear work clothes. Couriers have to remove their helmets for security reasons... You might be right about nightclubs, but this can include some real dives & anyway I would hardly compare Harrods to a nightclub! It's a shop.
I was in "Harrods 2" a few weeks ago (beside Shin Falls in Sutherland). It sells the tackiest tourist tat you will ever see anywhere. I'd like to see them refuse backpacks there!
You missed the point Ollie. Owners of different establsihments impose different codes for different reasons. Its their prerogative to decide whats in the best interest of their businees/home/building/whatever. If you disagree its your prerogative to boycott them.
Hi Y'All
Actually weequeenie is probably right about prerogatives and all that, but perhaps Tim fell foul of an actual security issue, i.e. the rucksack aka backpack. It's silly I know but people issue blanket bans on these things without actually looking at the person carrying them and making a sensible assessment. Also, because we are in thrall to rank political correctness if we ban if for one we must ban it for all, regardless of the fact that you're carrying your lunch or baby necessities, or maybe just find a backpack convenient to carry shopping. (Tim have you got a shifty look about you - just asking, lol)
Also we have paranoia about hoodies, I have a very nice top which has a hood, and was refused entry to a restaurant because I was considered a hoodie Puhleeze, me a tearaway, I should koko! Anyway it was removeable, so I took it off and got in. For two pins I would have told them where to stuff their meal, but friends were hosting us that evening!
What a sad country we live in.
Regards. Caro
I think we all missed the point!, no matter how peed of we may be at the treatment, they as all shop keepers do have the right to refuse anyone admission for any reason they choose, they have the right to refuse to sell you anything if they just feel like it, it isn't a public right to be allowed in or buy something. I think we are becoming a nation of people who think it is our god given right to be sold anything we like in a shop and it is their statutory duty to sell it us.
Anyway he has now got the hump with the establishment and their refusal to give him a passport and so he has thrown his toys out of the pram and sold up. I shall not miss him.
Point taken. But of course, I left myself a bit open by my descriptions.
'Rucksack' was the size of a carrier bag & 'walking shoes' were what she always wears.
Neither a rucksack nor walking shoes are prohibited by Harrods dress code or visitor guidelines therefore store policy has nothing to do with the reason Tim's daughter was asked to leave the premises.
http://www.harrods.com/HarrodsStore/CustomerServices/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx
QuoteDoes Harrods have a dress code?
We aim to make shopping at Harrods pleasurable in every respect. To achieve this we operate a dress code, which has been widely welcomed by our customers.
The Dress Code does not permit any person to enter the store dressed in the following manner: wearing high-cut, Bermuda or beach shorts; swimwear; athletic singlets; cycling shorts; flip flops or thong sandals; with a bare midriff or bare feet; or wearing dirty or unkempt clothing.
http://www.harrods.com/HarrodsStore/visiting/guidelines
QuoteVisitor Guidelines
At Harrods we are committed to providing our visitors with a wonderful experience that exceeds expectations.
Whilst we celebrate and embrace individuality, it is of utmost importance that every single visitor that passes through our doors has a positive and pleasurable experience they remember.
Harrods Green man
It is for these reasons that Harrods kindly asks all visitors to:
* Ensure all clothing is clean and presentable and that the appropriate footwear is worn whilst in the store.
* Refrain from wearing clothing which may reveal intimate parts of the body, or which portrays offensive pictures or writing.
* Refrain from wearing crash helmets in the store.
* Carry rucksacks in your hand rather than on your back or shoulder. This is both to prevent damage to displays and for health and safety reasons. Harrods provides a left luggage service at small cost, should the bag be too heavy to carry.
* Refrain from eating and drinking, except in our cafés and restaurants. There are over 30 eateries in-store. View restaurants »
* Refrain from taking photos in the Fine Jewellery, Banking Hall or Antique Furniture Department or in any area within the store where photography or filming may not be appropriate. This is for security reasons.
* Please note unaccompanied children under the age of 15 will not be granted permission to enter the Store
This took a lot of postings to get to the basic point of what this thread was all about . But I am glad we all got there in the end. :)
So we can sue for assault, Baccy Man??
In passing, is each visitor issued with a copy of the rules - & in 12 languages
Not in my day!
Quote from: Duke Ellington on May 09, 2010, 17:22:01
This took a lot of postings to get to the basic point of what this thread was all about . But I am glad we all got there in the end. :)
I dont think we did, the point of why this thread was started is probably more unpleasant thann it looks
I have been in there lots of times and have been treated very nicely by every one. (they ignored me)
Although a lot of me is socialist, I do understand that there are places where standards are expected 'to keep out the riff-raff (I am a fully paid up member of riff-raff)
I would never in a month of Sundays pay the prices that the better than every one else do for most things. But I did buy the most delicious chocolates I have ever tasted in Harrods. Just a small bag.
Having travelled a lot, I have to say that , for the most part, the experience of seeing how the people who shop there live, is no different to seeing how those who are supposed to be impoverished live around the world.
The only difference is that the impoverished people who have "enough" are cheerful.
Nuff said?
Hope my bit's not unpleasant?
I haven't been to London in about 10 years, I believe the dress code was among the visitor information displayed in the window then but it may well of changed since.
Assault? it depends... were they assaulted? or were they just asked to leave the premises? If the former then the staff certainly have no right to assault a customer even if a customer was alleged to be causing a problem so yes there would be grounds to take legal action. If the latter then there is nothing that can be done as they would have the right to refuse service to anyone without giving a reason.
Of course you can voice your opinion of the store on any of the numerous websites reviewing the store (just search for "Harrods review" to find them) or through internet forums. Alternately you could complain to them in writing.
Coincidentally there is yet another FAQ here worded slightly differently but which explicitly states rucksacks are allowed & again no mention of walking boots being among the prohibited footwear.
QuoteSmall back-packs permitted in the store but should be carried in hand.
http://www.harrods.com/HarrodsStore/shopping/faq
Tim. I can't see you suing him and winning, I can't understand why she was asked to leave, I can understand the feeling of insult she may of felt at being asked too, but I suspect that they are not legaly oblidged to display their terms or rules of admission anywhere, and once asked to leave you must do so or else you are trespassing, although as far as I am aware to prosecute for trespass you must first have a high court judgment against you stating that you will be a trespasser, its one thing stores like to try and throw at you when they want you gone is to threaten that but a local solicitor told me once it doesn't work that way, anyway if you then refuse to leave once being asked too they have the same right as you or I to remove someone from our home, that of reasonable force.
I may be wrong.
Love it! Before you enter a shop, you search for & read the 'rules'!!
Sue? Of course, just asked to leave. But I would have taken great offence, had it been me. I thought that under EU or Health & Safety that you could 'assault' someone without touching them.
NOT serious, Baccy Man, truly!! But thanks for the counsel. Haven't been down there for ? 25 years.
I do stress that those 'walking' shoes are the ones she uses for walking. Every day. Like to the loo & elsewhere!!
Live & learn?
Superspud - just seen that - DO believe that all this was in fun. But a bit informative?
Another point is why were they permitted to enter the store in the first place if they did not meet the dress code requirements? Harrods employ a doorman who opens the door & greets the customers as they enter the shop, part of his responsibilities is to turn away people who do not meet the exacting requirements Harrods customers must meet.
And to hail Taxis for the very rich!
Tim, what a very unpleasant experience, I can see why you would be angry, but you know..I would do something about it, first you are not a nobody and in that position I would call or write..your choice..to the establishment and while getting over the point that you felt insulted on her behalf you feel that an error was made, that they would wish to know about it and deal with it. Write calmly but with a little punch. It is their business and they should know a customer has been offended.
I would feel I was owed an apology in these circumstances and would have to follow through.
If I didn't get a suitable apology I would make it very clear that my family would not use that store again.
It is their loss and I would have to see what road they would take.
I agree with stores making their own house rules but this looks clearly to me that an error in judgement has been made and there is an appropriate way to deal with that, and I think they would be appreciative if you took the time to inform them.
XX Jeannine
Gone & forgotten, Jeannine - just a talking point these days.
As to shopping there again - on our OAP - you're joking of course!!
And it's a shop, not a store.
Strictly speaking it is actually a department store.
In British English "shop" means any premises that sell retail goods, tpyically of a single kind such as electrical goods, clothes, groceries etc. "Store" tends to mean a larger establishment that is divided into sections and sells several types of goods. Large stores become "department stores", because they are effectively a number of shops in one setting.
You will get used to it. I have been thrown out of loads of shops. I wish they would throw the old lady out some times. She could shop for england. Always coming home with a bargain that we have never had any use for. Don't start me on shoes, I would not mind, but she is a very much like Heather Mills, she has only ever worn half of them.
Thank you Baccyman.. part of my childhood was growing up in a shop , Harrods is definitely a store as I see it!!
Unwashed, curious as to why you would say that?
Ace, so pleased to hear Mrs Ace is a normal woman.
Tim, as always, you are so right, not our pensions either!! I have a mohair teddy sitting on my sofa that has Harrods embroidered on his foot in gold thread, he has a stuck up expression on his face and is so far unnamed, he is quite recent. Maybe I should call him Fayed. ::)
XX Jeannine
PS in case you are wondering, I picked him up in a Canadian charity shop for $2 , still in bag with labels attached,Fayed would not be amused!!
Quote from: Jeannine on May 10, 2010, 07:02:55
Unwashed, curious as to why you would say that?
Language is important to me and I think of
store as another North American import replacing the perfectly servicable
shop. For sure,
department store is a useful description of a particular kind of shop, but it's still a shop.
That is odd, I grew up gping to the shop or the store depending on what we were purchasing, many years ago XX Jeannine
Better than Wikipedia, this!!
UK & US definitions of store from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary here:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/store_1
Yes - drug store.
They would probably turn me away at Harrods as I wear boots. They are made for me by the NHS as I have arthritis and collapsed arches. They would be in real trouble then as it would be discrimination under the disability laws. ;D