Marks and Spencer have fallen, part III; we’re gonna need a bigger boat

[MrsSnippyPants]

Fresh thread in case part 2 fills up overnight.
I am yet to receive a reply to my third email, have been furiously tweeting, and as am now pursuing the options available to me as a shareholder.
Still crossing fingers for John Lewis!

PocketDictionary
Yes it was an eye-opening episode from big brother with the drag artist that educated me

That was Courtney Act (caught in the act) he was a drag queen and was great. I think he went on to win CBB.

Definitely a man, he demonstrated how he tucked it all underneath.

He was hilariously clever and honest.

I'm also on one of those Marks' panel doo-dahs. I am most annoyed at their thoughtlessness and casual dismissal of the safety of the women who not only work for them but make up their core customer base.

I got a questionaire last week so all my answers to the 5 or 6 items went thus, with 'hate it' for 'what do you think?' and £0 for 'what would you pay?'

The answer on each 'Why do you think that' type question is as follows- Apologies for the text, writing isn't really a skill of mine these days -
"Do you know M&S, I'm not sure I care at the moment. Clarify your policy on changing rooms.
I do not want to try on a bra, nightwear or anything else in a cubicle next to someone with a functioning penis who just happens to feel like a lady on that particular day.
This will become an autogynephiles' paradise and very unsafe for girls, women and people with true gender dysphoria. It has been shown that mixed changing rooms are very unsafe for women.
The women who are your core customers.
Add a family change section, that's great, but keep the separate Male and Female changing rooms. If people with xy chromosomes wish to try on ladies' underwear, they should be safe to do so in the mens' section and not involve unwilling women in their fetishes."

Thankfully I usually buy the multipack sealed big knickers - shudder - Sainsbo's are a good alternative as the Asda ones don't last as long in the wash.

I also had a basket full to purchase and lots of vouchers, but they have lost my custom until they have a rethink - I will hunt out the wonderful Jean Hatchet expose and post it on FB as friends use the stores she visited.

I keep coming back to this thread in the hope of reading M&S replies to your emails.

Maybe today will be the day...

I've sent three emails, got the standard cut and paste response to the first and nothing to the next two. Planning on continuing to email every week until something changes.

Mountain Warehouse do good thermals, both Merino wool & man made fibres. They start doing offers as the season progresses.

I am also coming back hoping for the replies to be revealed.

I will be seriously pissed off if they think by not acting on their customer's concerns, this might blow over.

They've misquoted the Equality Act by missing out a protected characteristic.

Can’t believe their whole business model for 90% of their customer base is Now now stop making a fuss we are not changing. Apart from those popping into food court for sandwich, who do they think is in their stores day in day out and buying for whole household?

I can't see even their male customer liking this, other than the Wanking Men. My dad is 71 and would be horrified if women started wandering into the changing room when he was in there.

They haven’t replied to my follow up email either. Odd...

Does anyone know who does good xmas hampers? I usually buy a few from Marksies for my elderly relatives, but need an alternative this year.

John Lewis sell lots of different hampers. There are also a number of specialist hamper companies all with hamper in their name.

Re hampers- you could make up your own ( if you have time and not having to post).I go to a couple of farm shops - supports local business too.

It's more work but handmade hampers are nicer as you can choose better items and in my experience significantly cheaper!

We have bought the items in the past and neither DH or I are confident enough in our ability to make homemade items on the first attempt

If you go to the Christmas board there are hamper suggestions from independent websites plus some other retailers

I have family members who are gluten intolerant, what would be a good alternative place to buy gluten-free cakes and biscuits?

sainsburys have quite a big range of gluten free stuff. I only pay attention in that I am looking for the not gluten free free from stuff without egg and nuts so not an expert.

MOrrisons have a decent sized shelf space of free from stuff too.

If anyone is looking for hampers for gifts and doesn't mind buying online (or lives in Whitby) - I can recommend Bothams
www.botham.co.uk/bakery/bothams-whitby-hampers.html.
Husband sent elderly relatives a Christmas hamper from them last year and it was happily received.

ANyone else seen this crazy innappropriate comment between J&L and M&S about Christmas adverts?

"Good to see Christmas has given you the horn too!"

:twitter.com/marksandspencer/status/1194978156186423296

Has someone gone rogue on the Twitter team?

They haven’t replied to my follow up email either. Odd...

Nor mine. It was sent yesterday.

Today, I managed to peak-M&S another two people. They are horrified. One of them is prepared to stand with me just outside an M&S store next week so that we can idly chat about the changing room policy. Loudly.

If anyone from M&S is reading this thread, do you have any idea of the reputational damage this is doing? Do the names Ratner and Perrier mean anything to you?

Oh, they deleted it. But someone got a screenshot
twitter.com/AidenWells19/status/1194984907447160833

Morrisons have a surprisingly large gluten free range, i was impressed last time I went in, and Waitrose have some nice things too.
Local health shops often have gluten free biscuits and Booja Booja GF chocolates, and I have just found somewhere online that sells gluten free lebkuchen ( those delicious little German Christmas spiced cake/biscuit things ) .

SirVixoVixHall

Please share where did you find GF lebkuchen?

am needing to buy some..TIA

www.violey.com/en/hammermuehle-organic-dark-chocolate-gingerbread-gluten-free-3-pack_p_19670.html
Here. That is the gingerbread, but they have lebkuchen and those delicious little iced stars. I am about to order everything....! I have looked everywhere for GF Lebkuchen .

Any techy types out there?

What's the likelihood that after receiving our original emails, we've been "blocked" so any subsequent emails from that address are shuffled off to a folder labelled 'nasty women' and left unread?

If that is likely to be the case, I'll set up a new burner email every week so that someone has to go to the actual trouble of reading my email before ignoring me. But I don't want to do all that if I'm just being paranoid.

SingingLily I sent mine last Friday (and one to the Green Party candidate & Lib Dem candidate, no reply either) and I’ve been diligently checking my emails, including the junk file. ‘Tis most peculiar. I peak M&s’d screwfix earlier this week-amazing how it can come up in any old conversation...

Thanks for GF recommendations! I want to buy some German Xmas cakes now.