Trinity Leeds: Primark issues apology after blind woman with guide dog 'wrongly' denied entry into store

Chloe Tear, 25, said she was left feeling “intimidated” after the experience at the Trinity Leeds store on Sunday (July 9). The writer was shopping with her sister and her new guide dog Dezzie, and had visited several other shops that day with no issues.

When they approached the entrance of Primark, they were denied entry by a security guard and told that “no dogs were allowed”.

After Chloe explained that she was accompanied by a guide dog, and how it is illegal to refuse a guide dog entry in a public place, the member of staff radioed the store manager. Chloe was given the green light to enter a few minutes later.

Chloe said: “The whole thing cannot have lasted more than a few minutes, but I was so shocked that it had happened, even emotional. It was awful knowing that other customers were just able to walk in, yet we had been stopped as if we had done something wrong.

“It was frustrating to have to explain multiple times that Dezzie was a guide dog. I'm glad we were allowed in eventually, but if I wasn't with my sister, I probably would have turned around and walked away as it was pretty intimidating.”

Under the Equality Act 2010, blind and partially-sighted people have the same right to access businesses and services as people who do not have a vision impairment. This includes taxis, shops, restaurants and other places open to the public.

Chloe says that her sister later noticed the security guard, who had denied them entry, following them around the shop. She added: “This made me feel so uncomfortable, like I had done something wrong.”

Chloe took to social media to share her experience and reported the incident to customer service at Primark and Guide Dogs, a national charity that supports people with sight impairments. Primark responded to Chloe to apologise and confirmed that guide dogs would always be allowed in its stores.

In a statement issued to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Primark said: “We want all of our stores to be accessible for everyone and we're really sorry that a customer was wrongly denied access with their guide dog to our Leeds Trinity store. We're following up with our security provider to ensure this doesn't happen again and in contact with the customer to apologise for their experience.”

This was the second time Chloe had been shopping with her guide dog, Dezzie, who had just finished training two weeks ago.

Chloe said: “Having been on the waiting list for two and a half years, getting Dezzie has been the most incredible thing. He's already changed my life so much and has enabled me to be independent.

“Prior to getting a guide dog, the simple act of going into a shop would have been very tricky. Dezzie has enabled me to go shopping independently and given me that freedom.”