By Adrian Chan-Wyles
ON
THE 29th October 2013 the staff of the Picasso’s Coffee Lounge,
Union Street, Torquay, refused entry and service to a female wheelchair user on
the grounds of her disability, stating that the manager had taken the decision
to exclude such people from the café.
There are many similar complaints emerging from Torquay, and it is
significant that Torbay has been linked with the fascist British National Party
in the media, and in Mark Collins’ book [Hate],
which exposes the British right-wing and its connection to the area.
Compared to what is considered normal in the progressive cities
of Britain, this is a shocking event in a civilised society, particularly as no
one in the cafe raised a concern, and the manager, despite authorising this
blatant act of discrimination, remains unrepentant (and unpunished) despite UK
law being very clear on this point. I
understand that the local Police (and Member of Parliament) have been informed,
but despite nearly a month going by, no action has been taken.
This is not
surprising, as outside the major cities there is a lack of will-power within
less cosmopolitan areas to acknowledge that such discrimination exists, or to
do anything about it. The Devon and Cornwall Police were criticised in a 2012
report from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary – which "indicated some cause for concern
– specifically the under-recording of crime", and the local Member of
Parliament (Adrian Sanders) is a Liberal Democrat who fully supports the current
Con-Dem government and the vicious attack it has made on people with disabilities
that has seen hate-crime against the disabled rise by 75 per cent in just one
year.
There has also been a separate report that states the floor
manager was over-heard berating an employee for not “looking like the right
kind of person” to work there – and then sacking her, all within earshot of
customers. Due to news of these events spreading across the internet, a campaign
has begun for all right-minded people to boycott this café in the name of solidarity
and socialism.
Picasso’s
Coffee Lounge,
3 Union Square Shopping Centre Union Street,
Torquay
TQ1 3UT
Tel:
01803 212 166
Complaints
to the Manager Mr Mark Lewis - enquiries@picassoscoffee.co.uk
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