Surely shops aren't allowed to do this?

[AntFarm]

Our local post office/store has got a sign up outside stating that everyone entering must wear a mask and that exempt people must show proof of exemption before entering. It then goes on to list proof of exemption as :

A doctor's note on headed paper
Exemption letter from DWP
Hidden disabilities exemption card

If you cannot wear a mask and do not have any of these then you are not allowed to enter. They have, so generously, said that children under the age of 11 do not need to show proof.

I am not exempt, neither is anyone in my family, and we all happily wear masks no problem. It just doesn't seem right or fair that someone should have to show medical or personal documents to someone in a shop!

"I keep seeing people on Mumsnet talking about people who think the rules don't apply to them but in the month or so that masks have been compulsory in the UK I can probably count on one hand the amount of adults I've seen with no mask on"
Blimey! Come to Kent. It's about 50/50 in my local high street. Even in the supermarkets there are a significant number of non mask wearers who look to be strapping healthy individuals to me. (Yes... hidden disabilities... not that many).

@Intelinside57

"I keep seeing people on Mumsnet talking about people who think the rules don't apply to them but in the month or so that masks have been compulsory in the UK I can probably count on one hand the amount of adults I've seen with no mask on" Blimey! Come to Kent. It's about 50/50 in my local high street. Even in the supermarkets there are a significant number of non mask wearers who look to be strapping healthy individuals to me. (Yes... hidden disabilities... not that many).

I'm genuinely shocked! I must live in a very compliant area of the UK!

Their shop, their rulez

Except of course where they are making rules that might be discriminatory against a protected characteristic wherein the Equality Act 2010 may come into play.

I think the amount not wearing masks is rising where I live - obviously I have no idea whether they’re exempt or not - I don’t really care - just try and keep 2 metres away from them

@Gncq

InDeo Welk, yeah, none of those things were a global pandemic.

Right, Spanish Flu definitely was not pandemic; those 50m+ people were all quite localised . Bubonic Plague was also considered pandemic, having infected vast numbers of people in Asia before spreading to Europe (the global forms of record keeping we have today were of course absent then).

Btw, the 'global' is superfluous, the meaning of the word pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over multiple countries and/or continents.

Just shop elsewhere. On of our local petrol stations has gained lots of business /no masks required /very friendly staff -the other is pretty much deserted as they have threatening signs and insist n masks and unsurprisingly they are awkward buggers even in normal times.

Put shops like pubs usually have signs up that they can refuse service. It’s a private build/business so can say no for whatever reason they want. Tesco’s isn’t a public service, it’s a private business on private land. Yup discriminating isn’t allowed, but people shouldn’t expect to demand stuff.
Sounds like they have some vulnerable people working and have had lots of people coming in as they believe their right to breath as god intended and protest the fake virus is more important than staying alive

I've seen lots of non mask wearers too where I am. Saying that, we just went on our summer holiday to Stoke on Trent, to places where there is zero social distancing as well as either no masks (pool) or A LOT of non mask wearers. I'm not one for drama, but it was a little scary in a huge group of strangers.

Can I encourage you not to just ship elsewhere? If they’re on social media, tweet them or Facebook message them about how their policy is discriminatory against those who have genuine reasons not to wear a mask. This is really out of order.

@BeeTrees

Put shops like pubs usually have signs up that they can refuse service. It’s a private build/business so can say no for whatever reason they want. Tesco’s isn’t a public service, it’s a private business on private land. Yup discriminating isn’t allowed, but people shouldn’t expect to demand stuff. Sounds like they have some vulnerable people working and have had lots of people coming in as they believe their right to breath as god intended and protest the fake virus is more important than staying alive

Whatever reason they want? So they can say no to black people? Or gay people? Or perhaps a blanket no to disabled people?

Post offices are a public service BTW

"It’s a private build/business so can say no for whatever reason they want."

It is a post office and so is providing a public service.

'Our local Post Office.'

Otherwise known as 'small enclosed space with at times large numbers of people waiting at the counter. Many of whom are likely to be elderly or vulnerable'. Yeah. Not sure Im that sympathetic to be honest.

Call me old fashioned but Id rather not be the cause of an innocent elderly person dying because I didnt want to wear a mask. Those who are excempt can get doctors notes - Im pretty sure if you are ill enough to be exempt you probably already see quite a lot of the doctor. If you are a regular patient you can phone the surgery & get one ready to pick up surely?

If I had a very disabled son Im not sure Id want him waiting for an extended period of time inside a small enclosed space with a number of people also not wearing masks. Its a post office, so hardly a trip hes been loking forward to all week.

And a teenage boy is probably going to prefer to hang out of the pavement in a village for a bit most of the time. Post offices arent exactly exciting.

There are plenty of people not following guidelines where I live. Get on any train from London to my station. Funny how they can tolerate a mask all the way to getting on the train then pull it down or remove it when the trains starts moving. Its even more disappointing when they turn on the mobile phone and tell their friend how fucking funny they think they are.

@Vodkacranberryplease

'Our local Post Office.'

Otherwise known as 'small enclosed space with at times large numbers of people waiting at the counter. Many of whom are likely to be elderly or vulnerable'. Yeah. Not sure Im that sympathetic to be honest.

Call me old fashioned but Id rather not be the cause of an innocent elderly person dying because I didnt want to wear a mask. Those who are excempt can get doctors notes - Im pretty sure if you are ill enough to be exempt you probably already see quite a lot of the doctor. If you are a regular patient you can phone the surgery & get one ready to pick up surely?

If I had a very disabled son Im not sure Id want him waiting for an extended period of time inside a small enclosed space with a number of people also not wearing masks. Its a post office, so hardly a trip hes been loking forward to all week.

And a teenage boy is probably going to prefer to hang out of the pavement in a village for a bit most of the time. Post offices arent exactly exciting.

They're only allowing one person in at a time. Certainly no large numbers in there.

Vote with your feet, take your business elsewhere!

@Vodkacranberryplease Doctors are not issuing exemption notes.

Their shop their rules. It’s totally fine. Post offices have an awful lot of people who come to their counter.

If you are disabled and visit regularly, and can’t wear a mask, then I’d phone up or just go without a mask. With any kind of ID showing reason or disability. If they then refuse then phone up your disability advocacy charity and get them to contact the PO.

As you have a photo, I'd suggest posting it on the Twitter or FB account for The Post Office. You've said this is a PO in a shop and they are definitely breaking both laws and guidelines. The shop could lose it's PO completely for this if official complaints are made.

You could go elsewhere and then complain that the local post offics has closed due to lack of customers.

I'm genuinely shocked! I must live in a very compliant area of the UK!

You must do. I was the only person wearing a mask in my local co op yesterday! There is no way that I was the only person out of a dozen that didn’t have a genuine reason for not wearing a mask!

@HowDeeDooDee

You could go elsewhere and then complain that the local post offics has closed due to lack of customers.

I never use it because the person who runs it is not very polite. It is next door to another local shop that I use, and the sign is outside. I couldn't give a shit if it closed.

How can you vote with your feet and shop elsewhere for a Post Office ? There is only one in my town and no where else does what they do

@bustybetty

I'm glad that somewhere doesn't let people not bother. If everyone thinks of themselves as special then this bloody illness will never disappear!

I don't get the whole lanyard thing, had it out with a 'friend'...if she could manage to convince her son to wear a 'lanyard' why not be more useful and convince him to wear a mask that actually protects others. Sadly these people are always first in the queue if they need treatment though!

I'm sure your friend really considers you a true friend for 'Having it out with her' about her disabled son!