78-Year-Old Nan Left in Tears After Being Turned Away from Local Post Office
A 78-year-old nan claims she was left so upset that she couldn’t finish her shopping after being turned away from her local Post Office. Deirdre Gray, who has been wheelchair-dependent for 40 years, said she visited the Belle Vale Post Office, located inside Belle Vale Shopping Centre, on Friday, December 6, only to be refused entry.
Deirdre, who initially wanted to withdraw money from her bank account, told the Liverpool ECHO that a worker approached her and denied her entry, citing a recent incident as the reason. The staff member reportedly referred to another customer, who, while using a mobility scooter, accidentally crashed into a glass display cabinet and caused it to shatter.
Deirdre, who lives in sheltered accommodation and relies on her wheelchair for mobility due to a spinal injury that left her paraplegic, described how the incident left her distressed. She said: “It really upset me. I told her I couldn’t walk, and she [a staff member] said, ‘Well, you still can’t come in.’ I was arguing over something I couldn’t change. There was nothing I could do about it. I did nothing wrong and didn’t understand why I was in this situation. I just wanted money from my own account, that was all. I had to go home because I was so upset I couldn’t finish shopping.”
Deirdre’s carer, Dawn Mawdsley, later visited the branch on Monday, December 9, to address the situation. Dawn expressed her frustration, saying: “It’s not right. Her wheelchair is her access to the community. She is completely disabled. It is unacceptable. She goes shopping there all the time.”
A spokesperson for the Post Office acknowledged the incident and issued an apology for the inconvenience caused. They explained: “We understand there was a recent incident when another customer in a mobility scooter accidentally caused a glass display cabinet for gifts to smash, and the branch had to close for half an hour for safety reasons whilst the glass shards were cleared up, unfortunately causing disruption to all customers.”
The Post Office added that they are treating the matter with the “postmaster as a matter of urgency.”
The incident has sparked discussions about accessibility and inclusion, particularly for individuals who rely on mobility aids. For Deirdre, her wheelchair is her lifeline to the outside world, and the refusal left her feeling excluded and distressed during what should have been a routine trip to the store.