Two minutes silence and refusing to serve customer

I honestly don't believe that half the people who observe the 2 minute silence actually give a fuck about it. I think most go along with it as it's taboo not to and they don't want to look like a dick.
You should of just served her and if rememberence day means so much to you, you should have taken it as annual leave.

I have had 2 incidences where I have been in a shop and not obseved the 2 minute silence . The first..Really bad tummy bug, ran into supermarket for suplies. Really didn't have time to stand and observe silence so walked quietly round store but would not of expected anyone to serve me..Second one was a mistake. I walked into boots straight to counter and asked for something. they pointed to the sign and I stood and observed the silence for the rest of the 2 minutes then apologised at the end.
No you were not unreasonable.

Is it standard in England that shops etc do a two minute silence at 11am on 11th November? I'm in the UK, but not England, and I've never come across this. I mean obviously I've heard of a two minute silence, but it's on Remembrance Sunday, or during remembrance services.

If the shop has announced it's observing a two minute silence then it's observing a two minute silence, and you were right to stop for two minutes.

What were all these silences for??

Do you really need to ask?.

YANBU we stopped serving for the silence today. Our customers observed the silence with us and the we all carried on after.

I think YANBU I was in M&S and they turned off all the lights and the staff lined up away from the tills so it was obvious what was happening. Several older people (wearing poppies ) tried to use the self service tills and tutted about the lack of service despite the tannoy announcement and everyone else in the shop stood still and silent.

I would have judged her too if she was being over the top noisy and laughing during it. I wouldn’t have said anything because as you say it’s up to her what she chooses to do, but that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to judge someone for their behaviour, every one of us has judged someone at some point in time for something. If I encountered a situation like that that I didn’t wish to take part in I would simply step away from it and leave the people who did wish to to carry on, it’s about respect for other people.

when did it become a 2 minutes silence? It always was just 1 when I was growing up.

It has always been 2 minutes

I think on this occasion you done the right thing. I am all for choice when it comes to wearing a poppy / not wearing a poppy (I don’t wear one myself for very personal reasons - related to my ex-army dad - that I don’t like to discuss). I have no issue with others wearing one. I get it.

I also appreciate not everyone will want to participate in a 2 minute silence, some people I suspect might not even realise or will have forgotten the date/time if it isn’t pointed out to them, but her choice not to participate should not trump yours. It was clear you were observing the two minutes silence (as was the rest of the staff/ customers) so her getting huffy and complaining was a bit arsey. If someone is observing a silence that you are not you don’t speak to them and demand service. That is downright rude.

YANBU for observing the silence.

YABU for judging her for choosing not to. You aren’t so bothered she asked to be served, you are bothered she was chatting through the silence. That’s none of your business. Thank goodness we live in a Country where people are free to act in the way they choose and not dictated to by the state as to what they should and shouldn’t do. That’s what our soldiers fought for. That you think it is disrespectful is your issue, not theirs.

It's always been meant to be 2 Honey

There were probably plenty of people around that would have complained to the shop if you had served her. There's no way you could have served her without making any noise or being a distraction in some way. You could do it silently as in not talking, but you wouldn't have been silent, and many people would find that disrespectful from staff in a shop.

One woman being offended versus possibly lots of people being offended. You did the right thing.

@Ttbb oh yes because a Saturday off in a November is so easy to get in retail and the point is that whilst not all, the majority of people can join in a silence to reflect and be thankful for 2 minutes. What a ridiculous thing to expect that everyone can just take a day off rather than a customer stop being so self centred for two whole minutes.

I wouldn’t have served her either. You can’t do it silently at a supermarket checkout. The items beep on the scanner. How distracting for everyone wishing to observe the silence and pay their respects.

It's not like she didn't know it was happening. I got DS1 well away from al shops by 11am, as he wasn't in the mood for any of it (SN)

when did it become a 2 minutes silence? It always was just 1 when I was growing up.

OP has said that there was a tannoy announcement. I think that would make it pretty obvious the store was participating and so would the customer assistants.

YANBU she was and bloody rude herself.

Of course YANUBU
The store had announced it was going to be observed.

The till and scanner would have been beeping away.
And tbh she should have been ashamed.

I don't believe 2 minutes would make any difference to whether or not she caught her train.

Ttbb

When I worked in retail holidays were blacklisted from November to mid January.

I was in the city centre and most shops had a sign up on the doors that the staff would be participating in the 2 min silence and wouldn't be serving.

What were all these silences for??

In our store all colleagues were briefed to step out from tills, a tannoy announced prior to the silence and upon commencement. We also let customers know verbally as they were shopping a few minutes before that we would be closing tills etc. I absolutely would not serve a customer, they are within their rights not to observe the silence but I see it as important and want the sacrifice of those before us to be remembered for many years yet. If you don’t want to observe it then just avoid shops or other establishments for those 2 minutes, it’s not hard to do.

To be fair, most people are batshit crazy. I’ve seen customers stepping over customers who have passed out and ignoring cashiers who have badly cut themselves demanding to be served.

I’m actually shocked that anyone on here thinks you should have served her. It’s 2 minutes once a year to remember people who died so that we enjoy the freedoms we have. My grandfather was one of them.