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Disabled toilet row leaves mum fuming

27/12/2006

A MOTHER has vowed never to shop at a so-called 'child friendly' store again after being refused permission to use a disabled toilet with her two young children.

Kerry Vogan, 36, from Blackley, was visiting 'Big W' in Cheetham Hill with her one-year-old son Oliver and two-year-old daughter Heather when she needed to use the loo.

She said: "I wanted to be able to keep my children with me and as Oliver is in a trolley I couldn't fit all of us in a normal cubicle.

"I usually just ask for the key to the disabled toilet but when I went to the café for it I was asked where the disabled person was by the assistant.

"I explained to her and then her supervisor that I would either have to leave them unattended sitting in the trolley outside the loo, or take them in a very small cubicle and have my 13-month-old who has only just started walking sitting on a wet toilet floor, or try to get the trolley inside the main toilets and leave my cubicle door open which is very embarrassing if anyone else uses the facilities."

But Kerry, from Broomhall Road, told the Guardian her plea was ignored and that the supervisor told her it wasn't her problem, resulting in an argument.

She added: "I was so upset that a row with the assistant manager in the middle of the cafe left other diners with quite a show to watch.

"I have never been treated like that in any shop before and it has left me very upset. I understand that disabled toilets are put in for a special purpose but I have lots of disabled friends who wouldn't object to parents of young children using them, better that than the kids being taken.

"I for one will never shop there again and I usually buy all my Christmas and birthday presents there, I even bought my kids pram and car seat from there.

"I felt that other parents with young children need to be informed of their complete disregard for the safety of my kids and discrimination of lone shoppers with children.

"It is meant to be a child-friendly store after all."

A spokesman for Woolwoths, who own the Big W stores, said: "Woolworths is sorry that Ms Vogan was disappointed with her experience in its Manchester store.

"A lock has recently been fitted on the disabled toilet due to constant misuse. Mums with small children are welcome to use the toilet and are encouraged to approach a member of staff for the key."