Aggressive woman in softplay

[Thewheelshavefallenoffthebus]

So, went to softplay today (go all the time with my two very young dcs)

Another lady (i’ll call her Waynetta) was there with her gc.

Her gc was throwing food in the toddler area, crunching it on everything, everywhere and the woman was wearing her dirty shoes in the baby/toddlers play area. A member of staff told her to take her shoes off and remove the food as it is not allowed in the play area and is unhygienic but she hadn’t.

My youngest (1) climbed up to the top of the ladder and ended up on the platform and beside the woman’s gc. He put his hand in the girls bag of puffs (because he is a baby and saw puffs!) and I took it straight back out again and said no, not your puffs. the woman went mental - said my child had no manners and needed to ‘gerrof her (gd) puffs’ and be taught some manners (!)

I told her that my child is a baby and there is nothing wrong re my child’s manners thank you and that her gc shouldn’t have food in there anyway and that I had heard her being told to take it out. I also said I heard that she (grandmother) had been told to remove her own shoes yet still had them on in there where babies crawl around and it was unhygienic.

Waynetta went ballistic. Member of staff had returned and witnessed this and told her to take food out, take shoes off and that they don’t tolerate aggressive/abusive behaviour. Waynetta then said she’d be bringing her daughter to ‘floor me’ and the member of staff too and that we’d both Be knocked out.

My response was wtaf?

I took my dcs and went to find manager.

Manager tells me Waynetta has been caught stealing drinks from them, has been rude etc and could see I was shaken and upset.

Manager returns with me and Waynetta keeps on

Manager doesn’t make her leave!

Waynetta leaves shortly after but again threatens member of staff that her ‘daughter will be coming with her next time and so she will see what happens!’

I get upset and in my view this woman should be banned.

I’ve never experienced such a violent personality in a soft play place.

Should I be taking This further? Waynetta goes there as often as I do but I’ve previously been warned off her as she is odd.

I feel I can’t go there but I don’t have any other one to go to! Why should I have to stop going when I didn’t do anything wrong.

CCTV wouldn’t be recording conversation anyway

I asked about cctv for when she turns up with Waynetta junior to ‘floor me’ and staff member, and also re her pointing and getting in my face.

I can understand the kiddie issue is tricky re recording but surely they need to record to protect themselves and the children from incidents like this - and also if a child was injured in there etc. To see what happened

Tilly...

Absolutely.

I’m no snob and no hyacinth bouquet but this woman was awful. Anyone would be more civilised. A very rough chavvy woman and just vile.

You can't go round threatening to beat people up! God if that would be classed as a "non event" in your life you have much edgier existence than most of us!

I think you need to find a owner, rather than a manager, to talk to.

Someone who cares more about the reputation of the place, and understands the risks they’re courting with this passive approach.

It’s altogether possible that management at the soft play aren’t getting the backup they need from HQ, and don’t have the power to ban Waynette themselves.

Phrase your complaint as a problem for them, rather than you. Your outrage and indignation is warranted, no doubt, but not a very useful tool for getting her banned.

Don't go back to that softplay. Some are nice and others are not. That one isn't.

I stopped going to one which a lot of Mothers at my DD's school seemed to love...because I saw a man sitting in the coffee area shout at a random child because the child bumped into his DC.

He said "WELL SAY FUCKING SORRY THEN!" and the child was so shaken....she'd already steadied the little boy back on his feet with a concerned expression and was asking him if he was ok.

I thought "Wrong demographic" and never returned.

I would phone the police and call them out everytime I went back if she turned up. Say you felt/feel threatened by her presence. Guaranteed she will kick off and get arrested very quickly. Problem solved then.

Tell them you won’t be going back until she’s banned. The fact you and waynetta appear to be the only customers speaks volumes.

Or tell them they need to call the police, then do it if they don’t.

I would also write a letter to your local council. This is a safe guarding issue since her behaviour was so inappropriate in a children's environment and was not controlled sufficiently by the staff.

^I would do this definitely

Is it part of a chain? If so, I'd be contacting head office and laying an official complaint, both against Waynetta and the staff member who refused to deal appropriately with her.

I'd also leave reviews on any relevant local or child sites.

Perhaps the reason it's always so quiet when you go is that Waynetta has pulled this type of stunt before and scared off all the other patrons.

They are allowed to record , my local soft plays have CCTV and the nursery I worked in does too. There’s just strict laws on where the tapes are stored and who had access and things. So I don’t believe that.

I also would have done the same thing if I’d apologised and she’d have flew off the handle ... probably less politely though it’s definitely an issue.

I wouldn’t be put off going , but would be a lot more warey. I think the manager should do something . Just keep on complaining and adding to it if anything else’s happens . As long as your children are distressed about going though.

Don't demonise poor people by calling them Waynetta and expect not to be hauled up as a snob. You could have called her a name less indicative of class. Frankly soft plays are rank.

This sounds like typical bullying behaviour, by an insecure idiot. If it happens again, front it out and tell her about your British boxing champion niece.

Nothing wrong with being a snob! I’m snobby and proud!

Mountains, if she was an aggressive wealthy woman would one be allowed to demonise her?

Hey op. Hope you are ok. What a horrible thing to have happened. I'm sending you a hug

Thanks all and no, I’m not a snob.

By anyone's standards that woman was vile, scutty and a chav. She was aggressive, threatening and dirty.

I’ve had no contact from the general manager today. Not impressed by their lack lustre approach to this. Looks like I’ll be going to head office with a formal complaint.

Lethald - exactly!

Bad bad and all other supportive posters, thank you x x

What a bitch, who does that?

She should have been banned, for threatening staff and customers.

Ah yes, Waynetta with money and pearls to clutch = Henrietta , as in Hooray Henrietta!

FFS, it'snot as if OP called the woman Waynetta to her face. It's a brilliantly observed caricature that is often appropriate precisely because it is a well observed, carefully constructed parody of real people.

And if OPs use of the name brought Kathy Burke to mind, you could see the type of person being described, then you are as guilty of the same snobbery you accuse OP of! You wouldn't have remembered it if it hadn't struck true in your mind's eye!

Plenty of Waynetta's around my area. I can very much believe this is true.

I worked in an area with loads of Waynes and Waynetta and one, utterly unforgettable young mum who spoke and seemed to think just like Vicky Pollard.

I always suspected Matt Lucas had visited and met her

She's stolen from them and they haven't banned her? And she refuses to behave the hygiene rules and abuses staff & other customers?

If this is their policy I wouldn't be going back again. Take your children somewhere else.

Also - a bit irrelevant, but why Waynetta?