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Original poster

Am turning into Mrs Angry...restaurant/jeans fiasco

23 replies

lazyeye · 26/04/2004 13:32

Couple of incidents on recent hols to Lakes which turned me into Mrs Angry of Windemere. Might just be the preggy hormones, though would be interested to know what anyone else thinks.

The 1st one really upset me actually....I took it as a complete slight on my parenting skills....touchy or what? Anyway, in lovely restaurant in Ambleside, which shall not name, but very quiet time....round about 6ish. Told there was no hot food which wasn't really a problem. Managed to spend 20 squid on cakes and drinks. There with 2 sons.. 3 and 18mnths, MIL, SIL and hubbie. Children relatively well behaved, but eldest towards the end, did run around a little but with either me (32 weeks pg) or hubbie no more than 10 secs behind scopping up.

When leaving manager tells SIL who must have mistaken for mother of son says quite rudely "Can't you control him? And anyway if he breaks his neck, it will be me paying compensation......" Was furious when she told me (outside) but he was nowhere to be seen when went back (hiding in loos probabably). Really upset as seemed to be making judgement that we were the type that would sue........

Also, bought mat jeans which turned out to be too small. Took back, had recipet, but had taken lables off. Wouldn't take them back ....40 quid down swannie. Anyone know where I stand? I didn't wear them honest....couldn't get me bloddy left toe in them.........

Ho hum......

OP posts:
tammybear · 26/04/2004 13:39

They should at least let you exchange the jeans for a different size, if they're not going to give you a refund. But if they check the jeans and see that they havent been worn, they should give you a refund. Ive worked in retail, and Im just saying from what I know. But a trick me and my other mates do is if we want a refund or exchange and theyre being funny about it, just kick up a stink and say you work in retail and know your rights. That usually scares them into giving you it (not that Im trying to pass on bad tips lol)

twiglett · 26/04/2004 13:42

message withdrawn

marialuisa · 26/04/2004 13:47

When you say removed the labels, do you mean the actual labels stitched into the jeans or just the cardboard tags?

if they are the store's own brand and you have a receipt it's extremely unusual for them not to at least exchange them. of course, unless you were to find that the jeans have a fault and are coming unstitched you have no right to a refund/exchange at all but usually even independent shops will exchange.

LIZS · 26/04/2004 13:48

Sorry but you are not legally entitiled to an exchange or refund, regardless of labels removed or not. Tammybear, any exchange or refund policies in UK are at the store's discretion unless there is a trading standards issue (not as described, not fit for purpose, recall etc). Most large companies do , however, operate such a policy but it is out of goodwill. If you only removed the luggage labels (price ticket , brand etc) then they should be able to retag and therefore resell, but it may simply not be their policy.

LipstickMum · 26/04/2004 13:50

I find it astonishing that because the label has been taken off a shop 'can't' re-sell something. Surely they have little machines for re-fixing labels? Seems simple to me, but I guess that's the way it is. What about getting a credit note from them if you can? You do have a receipt after all.

twiglett · 26/04/2004 13:52

message withdrawn

Original poster
lazyeye · 26/04/2004 13:53

I just removed the cardboard label, not the stiched in labels. I would have accepted a larger size or have taken something else...I wasn't boshed about getting the money back.

It wasn't a big chain store, just a small independent trader so I suppose maybe she couldn't do it......

OP posts:
marialuisa · 26/04/2004 13:56

It is strange and very annoying! Very unusual to get a point balnk refusal even with a stand alone retailer.

Blu · 26/04/2004 14:09

Have you still got the labels? There may be someone like a dry cleaner or craft place near you that has the thing for putting them back - they are called 'kimble tags'. leave it a day or two and go back again when a different assistant is in the shop!

LIZS · 26/04/2004 14:11

lazyeye, have you tried measuring them ? If they for example said a 14 and when you measured them they came up a 10 then you could try arguing that they were not as described - the retailer could also have recourse to their supplier if the sizes were outside tolerances. Maternity clothes are rather more tricky because of allowing for bump growth and general expansion but worth a try perhaps.

Original poster
lazyeye · 26/04/2004 14:14

Its a bit of a pain now because I'm back in Newcastle and can't go trailing back to Kendal. I think what I will do is write a letter just saying I'm a little disappointed. I think with maternity wear you do have to be a bit more flexible and I would have taken something else........anyway, done now. I'll know for again to keep labels on when trying on......

Anyone want lurvely pair of (medium) black Noppies mat jeans. Never been worn and going cheap. Only joking.

OP posts:
yamamoto · 26/04/2004 15:25

If you would like to give the shop another shot .. my rather frightening SIL goes to Kendal shopping every week. Would the next size up be any good or is it cash only? Could always flog on ebay?

yamamoto · 26/04/2004 15:26

If you would like to give the shop another shot .. my rather frightening SIL goes to Kendal shopping every week. Would the next size up be any good or is it cash only? Could always flog on ebay?

Original poster
lazyeye · 26/04/2004 15:31

Thanks Yamamoto, but I'll just learn from my mistakes. Will probably either give them away to smaller preggy person or flog 'em.

Have found their e-mail address so have sent them a bit of an "outraged from Newcastle-won't be recommending your shop" type of e-mail.

OP posts:
Tinker · 26/04/2004 15:36

Think you should say you're naming and shaming them on mumsnet Might work. Although do appreciate that the shop don't have to refund/exchange, but it's very unusual these days.

eddm · 26/04/2004 15:50

Did they have a changing room? If not, then I think you could argue the goods are 'not fit for the purpose for which they are sold' and you would be entitled to a refund. Basically you are entitled to refund if goods are faulty or not as described, but if you just change your mind it's up to the store.

bossykate · 26/04/2004 15:50

i take it windermere, having completely recovered from the disastrous effect on tourism of the foot and mouth epidemic, is now experiencing a tourist renaissance. this must be led by the droves of american tourists over here at the moment. "osama, doesn't scare me, oh no", they say...

your experience, both in the restaurant and the shop, exemplies everything that can be mean, petty, intolerant, small minded and bureaucratic about the english tourist industry. sheesh.

agree with tinker, name and shame and then we can all avoid those places.

jac34 · 26/04/2004 19:39

Actually, Tesco will not exchange things that have the tags removed.
SIL bought DS's fleeces for xmas, but had removed the price tags.They were too small,so I tried to swop them for a bigger size,but was told they couldn't resell them if they had the tags removed.
Did eventually get one though, as I said I'd wait to see the manager,allowing a huge queue to form behind me and letting DS's climb all over her cash desk. I think she thought it was best to get rid of me

littlerach · 26/04/2004 19:43

I also found Woolworths to be very unsympathetic when trying to exchange an unwanted gift for DD.
However, Tesco do an amazing deal whereby if they overcharge you on an item, they will refund the whole amount, and let you keep the item too.

toddlerbob · 26/04/2004 20:24

Yes, but don't let on at the checkout. Pay and then go to customer services.

Woolworths and Tescos both swapped baby clothes that my mum bought for ds and brought to NZ. They were big winter things for 3-6 months and were heaps to big for that size baby the whole time and finally would have fitted him in high summer. She took them back and said the sizes were all wrong. The woolworths one didn't have the tags and had even been washed. Still exchanged it.

Cavy · 26/04/2004 20:49

HI Lazye-eye, I really sympathise with the thing about your parenting being criticised because your child was acting their age. Today I was in a playground with my 2 and someone told me not to let the 2yo run around outside the fence (she was playing a game of running a little bit away and coming back again) "because my friend saw Pedos over there". But if "Pedos" are living within 2 miles of where I live it's already too close for my comfort, so what difference did it make? Plus how did she or her friend know they were "Pedos"? Am I not supposed to let my children run around in parks at all? Whenever you have more than one child you can't keep them perfectly safe (or well-behaved). Maybe they should pass a law that all age gaps must be above 5 years or something.

nightowl · 26/04/2004 22:13

i find it extremely mean that they wont accept them back if the tags are removed, it takes less than a second to shoot them back through with the kimble gun...disgusting.

BadHair · 26/04/2004 22:24

I think they believe that if the tags have been removed then the clothes have been worn.
If I were you I'd take the line that the trousers were not a standard size 14 and ask for your money back as the goods were not as described.
If they didn't have a fitting room then your case is all the stronger.
You could always post them to the head office with a strongly worded letter.

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