Coronavirus: Care worker 'humiliated' at being turned away from convenience store for wearing uniform
A care worker was left feeling humiliated after she was turned away from a convenience store – because she was wearing her uniform.
Emily Challinor, 20, visited a Premier store on Wolstanton Road, Chesterton, Staffordshire, on Friday when she was on a break from her shift, but was dismayed when she was told that no carers were allowed inside.
On Monday, the shop insisted they were only trying to keep all their customers safe due to the risk of coronavirus posed by care homes.
The shopkeeper suggested any care workers unable to change should instead call the shop to place an order and they would deliver items to the car.
Challinor, of Burslem, said: "I was on a five-minute minute break in my shift which started at 3.30pm and went on until 10pm when it happened.
“I pulled into the local Premier to get a drink and some crisps to snack on.
"I went to go in and the lady asked me to wait until a customer had exited the shop but then when I tried to go in again, she asked me what uniform I was in, to which I replied ‘sorry what?’.
"She then said 'well are you a carer or the NHS?'. I said 'I’m a carer', and that’s when she said I wasn’t allowed into the shop, stating 'no carers allowed’.
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"I watched as they let every other person in, including five different people in work uniforms but apparently if you’re in a carers' uniform you aren’t allowed in.
"I ended up just leaving."
Emily clarified that she wasn’t trying to hurt the business but wanted to “make people aware and save the embarrassment”.
"Having said that, I won’t be going back there ever again. I've never felt so upset just doing my job!"
A spokesman for Premier said: "I have asked my members of staff not to allow anyone in wearing a carers' uniform. I have a duty of care to all my employees and customers.
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"We did give this young woman the option of coming back when she had changed, asking her friend who was in the car with her to come into the shop instead or we could deliver the items to the car.
"We are here for the interests of everybody. Unfortunately there have been a high number of cases in care homes so I was only taking the steps needed to protect people.
"From my understanding, care workers are being asked to change at work.
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"We are all in this together and we are here to help people in any way we can."
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