EASTLEIGH MP SAYS "DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON SHOPWORKERS" (Eastleigh Liberal Democrats)

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EASTLEIGH MP SAYS "DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON SHOPWORKERS"

November 9, 2009 1:15 PM

Chris visiting the Coop in Hedge End Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne says that young people who are refused alcohol at an off-licence should not take it out on shop-workers.

Chris Huhne joined Steve Brown, the store manager of the Coop at Hedge End, and Andrew Hodges, duty manager (pictured here with Chris), to back the "Freedom from fear" campaign for shop-workers this Christmas.

The campaign is even handing out stress balls to help customers keep their cool.

Chris Huhne said: "There have been too many cases where angry young people who are challenged for identity before buying booze take it out - sometimes with abuse and sometimes even with violence - on shop-workers who are just doing their job.

"This is completely unacceptable as they are applying the law, and would face serious consequences themselves if they were to sell to under-age drinkers."

Mr Huhne is backing the Christmas campaign which has been organised by USDAW, the shopworkers' union, to tackle abuse of retail staff.

Steve Brown, Hedge End store manager of the Coop which is backing the campaign, said: "The key problem is lack of respect for shopworkers when they refuse to sell to under 25s. You get too much abuse from those who are refused".

Andrew Hodges, duty manager, said: "I've had bad experiences when people who were banned from the store would hang around until the end of my shift to get even. It's not good when people are picked on for only doing their job".