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Retiree Banned From ASDA After Breaking Lockdown Rules To Use Toilet

Retiree Banned From ASDA After Breaking Lockdown Rules To Use Toilet

Graham Dunn has cancer of the bladder, meaning that he has to use the toilet every 15 minutes

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

A retiree who suffers with cancer was banned from his local supermarket - after he breached lockdown rules to go to the toilet.

Former oatcake shop owner Graham Dunn says he told staff at ASDA's Tunstall branch that he needed the loo after missing the special OAP shopping hour by 30 minutes and having to wait in one of the queues.

The 76-year-old's condition means he needs the toilet every 15 minutes during the day. When he got to the front of the queue he was so desperate he defied the social distancing rules to rush to the toilet.

The ASDA store he was banned from.
BPM Media

But he says he was later greeted by four security guards and a member of staff, who asked him to leave.

The grandad-of-15, from Chell Heath in Stoke-on-Trent, said: "The previous four Mondays
I had been to ASDA and there had been a queue, but usually pensioners are allowed to go ahead of it.

"On this particular day I had got there at about 9.30am because the post office doesn't open until 9am and I had to go there first.

"I was stopped just before the door, but because of my bladder cancer I need to go to the toilet every 15 or 20 minutes in the day and hourly during the night.

"I said to a security guard, 'How is it we've not been allowed to go straight into the store?' and he told me the NHS and pensioner hour is 8am to 9am.

"He told me I could not go straight to the toilet and that I would have to go down the aisles first. But I went anyway and then started my shopping. The next minute, four security guards and a member of staff told me to get out or they would phone the police."

Graham Dunn said he felt 'terrible'.
BPM Media

The great-grandfather-of-three added: "I felt terrible. I was upset all day when it happened and had nothing to eat. I was just shaking. I don't feel anyone listened to my side of the story."

ASDA has confirmed Graham is now banned from the store.

A spokesman said: "We do not tolerate any form of abuse or violence towards colleagues or customers which is why this customer has now been banned from our store.

"Banning customers is always a last resort. However, given the nature of this, and past incidents involving this customer, we feel this decision was necessary on this occasion."

Graham says he has had previous dealings with the member of staff, but he disputes ASDA's version of 'past incidents' involving him.

Featured Image Credit: BPM Media

Topics: UK News, Community