Do you think this fair, blue light discount?

[MrsWaltonGoggins]

I tried to use my blue light card in a restaurant today, and they say they only accept it now if you have an nhs or military id. They said this is because they have teachers using the blue light and they believe it should be for healthcare workers only. I said that I am a nurse, I just don’t work for the nhs and don’t really think that’s fair.

Has anyone else come across this? Surely if you offer blue light discount it should be for anyone with a blue light card.

If they accept the card as a discount then I don't think they should add extra stipulations onto it. If they want to offer discounts just for those in the NHS and military then they should state that clearly rather than offering a blue light card discount but only if you also meet this additional criteria.

If they’ve advertised as being signed up to offering the discount to all cardholders they’re being unfair, if not it’s up to them who they give a discount to.

Wow! How mean of them!

I would have walked out. I also would have named and shamed them online.

I've done many jobs (factory shift work, office jobs, engineering, veg picking) but teaching is by far the toughest job I've ever had to do. I actually don't have the blue light card but I think it was rather mean to make such a statement.

How can you pick and choose who you give discount too if they are entitled to it . It’s like someone having a bus pass but they need to prove they are over 70 to use it even tho now it’s for OAPs AND people with disabilities.

I would be tempted to report them to the blue light company . They are hoping people will be too anxious to call them out and just pay the extra rather than argue their case .

Unfortunately, I think the discount has been abused. O’ve started taking my ID card if I think I’ll use mine.

I’m not sure why they are offering it - are they trying to appeal to a certain market?

They shouldn’t really sign up to the Blue Light card scheme if they don’t want to give the advertised discount to everyone who is eligible to a Blue Light card. Saying that, they really don’t have to offer a discount to anyone so it is completely up to them who they do.

My dh is a police officer so wouldn't fall under either category?

I wouldn't go there again.

If they don’t believe in offering the discount to teachers then they need to leave the blue light scheme. You should call head office to complain and name and shame them online.

I would prefer there to be a separate higher discount for military, veterans and actual blue light professionals. But the scheme is what it is and they should use it as it is or not.

They are being unreasonable. If they want to offer their own discount just to NHS or military that's fine but don't make it the Blue Light scheme if you aren't going to honour all Blue Light cards. I have relatives in the probation service who have them, DH has one because he's NHS but not clinical. If someone has the card they should get the discount.

How is it being abused? They opened up the criteria list and those entitled have applied for a card. You can't say you accept blue light cards but only for some. You either accept the card or you don't.

Agree with the this and the other posters
If you as a business sign up to the blue light card then you're agreeing to follow whatever terms they set. Personally i think including teachers is a bit random, as, important as their job is it is not emergency by any means. But then neither are administration staff in the NHS or police, who have always been entitled to it (again i have family in all those jobs so aren't disparaging them).

There's nothing stopping businesses from running their own discount for whatever they want, whether its emergency services or people over 6 foot or with names who start with J.
But they shouldn't take advantage of the blue light advertising to entice customers in and then not apply the advertised discount.

Otherwise its like advertising student discount but only giving it if you go to oxbridge!

Why would doctors or nurses or teachers need discounted food?

It probably isn’t being abused here but I worked at a high st retailer who accepted blue light if you bought our gift cards online . Obviously once the gift cards was bought we had no idea who was spending the gift cards .

YANBU, the blue light scheme has a clear list of who is covered.

I'd probably complain to the Blue Light people and the management of the restaurant - they shouldn't be saying it accepts the card when it only does for people it deems worthy. It's up to them who they offer a discount to, but they shouldn't be using Blue Light as part of their advertising if it's on different terms.

I get it as a foster carer. This place either accept blue light or they don't. Complain to blue light company so they can investigate.

Because they deal with so much crap from the public that maybe it’s nice for them to have this?!

Are you that unaware of the wages some of these professionals earn ?
It was well documented that nurses and junior doctors are barely living due to car parking charges , student debt and the cost of living . Working in the NHS doesn’t mean these people are earning a fortune , far from it .
and some teachers are having to spend their own money to buy essentials for their classrooms to teach the children and all this affects their wages .

The criteria are slightly odd. Most people wouldn't expect a "blue light discount" to include teachers, pharmacists, dentists and optometrists

Having said that, no business has to sign up. If they choose to, they shouldn't add their own criteria.

It's not up to them to pick and choose, they either accept the card or not.

If they're not happy with the Blue Light scheme they can always choose not to accept it. Or if they think its been abused, they should talk to BL.

I'm entitled to one because I work for a government agency that's in the Department for Health. I don't have one but many colleagues do and often choose where to eat based on who accepts the card.

Blue light card is for a range of front line professionals and the blue light card itself has a rigourous application process. It's not up to the individual restaurant to undermine this. If they don't like it don't do the scheme. It's not for them to decide who is more deserving.

A card like this isn’t just a kindness, it’s advertising. Posting that they accept the card gets people in the door. The establishment accepts they will make slightly less money on some customers in exchange for what they hope is an increase in volume. There is also the possibility of ineligible customers seeing the discount is available and feeling good about the business so choosing them over a competitor.

If they don’t want to fully participate, they should offer a different discount entirely.

Why not? The criteria is clear and many junior professionals earn relatively little and have to live in expensive areas do have little disposable income.