... to think that M&S hosts a non-stop rudeness convention?

[Gentle]

I like a few things from M&S but ye gods, people are rude in there.

The staff are normally obliging, and M&S deserve their no-quibble reputation as far as I can see.

It's the CUSTOMERS that wind me up. Going into M&S seems to put some people into an entitlement trance in which they can no longer register the presence or needs of others.

They block aisles. They rudely reach across and snap through the hangers on the rail I'm looking at.

They stand for an hour with a packet of mints, eyeing up another packet of mints suspiciously and not recognising that anyone else might want some mints this decade.

They walk in strange, random trajectories that are impossible to predict/overtake. They dither through the doors chatting in twos and threes, and don't bother to look behind them to see if it will slam in anyone's face.

I usually go into M&S with my Grandma and she turns from quite a kindly lady into someone who won't change her course of direction for people on crutches, or makes free to read an ingredients list to herself at the back of a queue so no-one can tell if she's queuing or not.

come come, this isn't restricted to M&S - it's every shop! so YABU.

Yes I agree. Some folk put their Hyacinth Bucket head on when they go in there.

True, hedgewitch. Monsoon sales seem to foster a similar generosity of spirit...

no no, am thumbwitch, not the hedge variety!

Actually, reviewing my last post, not entirely true. M&S does seem to attract people who want to exercise their rights to... ignore everyone else.

Gah sorry thumbwitch. M&S must have rubbed off on me today

oh yes, StayFrosty, I had forgotten that one! I did once say to a group of women in M&S "I'm sorry, would you like us to vanish?" as it seemed to be the only solution they were aiming for by shoving me into the lift I was trying to get out of whilst simultaneously muttering that there wasn't room.

no prob Gentle.
I have to say I don't have too much problem in our local M&S but there are other shops that are much worse, mostly clothes shops of the cheaper variety (New Look etc.) where the women seem to stand blocking as many points of access as they can and give you the look of withering scorn if you try and get past/round them with the pushchair.
And Tesco. God, yes. People who stand with their trolleys out behind them, effectively road-blocking the entire aisle/entrance etc. while chatting about their Wayne or whoever. Not limited to Tesco - get it in Waitrose too except it tends to be more about their Caspian, rather than Wayne (yes I KNOW I am panding to shop stereotyping but it's LIKE that where I live!)

pandering of course

Our local M & S is truly awful. To get off the central aisle- which is a kind of flow-through system- I took to thrusting my arm out, indicator-style, in the direction I wanted to go.

I eventually gave up shopping there when I couldn't get into the lift with the buggy due to all the teenagers that occupied it. (Obviously their poor little legs couldn't cope with the escalators, let alone the stairs....)

Hmm. Obviously, the teenagers occupied the lift, not the buggy...)

Maybe it is because - from what I saw of the queue to pay last Saturday - all the shoppers in M&S are like me - totally pissed off with the way they look and forking out money un necessarily on clothes to tide them over until they can go somewhere decent and buy something nice. I'd hate anyone to think I reallly wanted 3 pairs of disgusting cheap trousers and a smock top, feel like wearing a label to this effect!

I've noticed this, the place seems full of rude old ladies.

I was in Gap the other day with my mum (in her 60s) and a woman pushed my mum out of the way to get a t-shirt. Never asked her to move or anything, just barged her out the way. I didn't see it happen or I'd have said something.

The food hall in M & S has to be the most antagonistic shopping experience ever. Full of old ladies try to run you over with their trolley. They have a massive sense of entitlement.

I used to work there many moons ago and remember people actually being hurt in a stampede to get the best turkeys one Christmas. And the first day open after Christmas when everyone used to sprint (literally) through the doors to get to customer services and refund all their unwanted gifts.

It does seem to bring out the worst in people. LOL at people walking at random trajectories so you can't overtake, that is so true!

And also people barging through their automatic doors rather than pushing the others open so the people who actually need to use them (elderly, buggies, disabled etc) can't get through themselves.