04/04/2026
Silver plate cafe, Dereham - Utterly appalling customer service!
I'd never out right shame a business or human ever, unless I felt strong about a situation, this has left my blood boiling and now I'm home, I'm feeling utterly embarrassed and angry about it!
Story time! π If you don't like the talk of π©, scroll on.
I'm not feeling 100% today, my Ulcerative Colitis is flaring, causing me urgency and stomach pain. But my family had planned a trip round Dereham town, I didn't want to miss out seeing as we had a day off. I knew there was plenty of toilet stops available for me, shops, cafes and even the public toilets. So I thought no, I won't cancel, I'll have a wonder with my family and I can pop off if and when I need to..
All was going great, popped to the public toilet, lady in a charity shop allowed me to go, even the staff in Poundland rushed me to there's. No questions from both shops, I explained I had Colitis and needed to go pretty urgent! Lots of sympathy and understanding from their staff. π«Άπ»
Then we're wondering again and gosh my stomach goes, I need to go again, saw this Silver plate cafe and thought oh yup, I'll run in there. Anywhere that sells food I'm aware has a toilet, save the embarrassment this time - I won't even need to ask - Because it's embarrassing and exhausting having to explain to people, if I can help it I won't.. obviously..
I go in, waited by the toilet door for a few minutes it was occupied, a female staff member walked past me, I said I think there's someone in there, she tried the handle and said there's another loo just up there my lovely - Oh great, I made it, did what I needed to do and started to walk out, said thank you to the gentleman behind the tills, then the female said, this is for customers only, I said excuse me? She said customers only, I said I've just been, I have Ulcerative Colitis and I had to go, she said this is private property, I said sorry, I had to go, I can get my card out if needs be, just show you, she said you're not allowed, I said are you really going to stand here in front of all this customers and say this after I've been, I have a disease and I had to go, she said this is for customers, I said to her wow, this is disgusting customer service and walked out.
A customer from inside followed me out and checked I was okay, I couldn't believe what had just happened, the way I was spoken to by an adult, over using the toilet and not being a customer!οΏΌοΏΌ π«£οΏΌ
I totally understand business have there rules, but she'd already shown me where to go. If this was a problem I believe she should have explained this to me, I'd of happily purchased a drink! π© I saw no signs for customer use only.
The way she was arguing with me like I'd actually committed a crime, I'd just used the toliet.
If this was a child or a lady pregnant, would she have approached them the same way?
Never in a million years did I think someone would approach me in such a negative way for using a bathroom, we all have to go, we're all humans!
Think I want to base going out around where the toilet stops are? Think I want to tell people I need to use the toilet before quite frankly I π© myself? I'm 32 years old, I'm not a child, this isn't something I asked for? It's a chronic illness, that when flares I really struggle, should I stop going out in case of people like that?!
Put yourself in my shoes, 3 hours around Dereham and had to use the bathroom 6 times?! It's exhausting, I shouldn't feel embarrassed or ashamed when popping into places, this isn't something I can help.
I am a member of Crohn's & Colitis UK, I pay a membership to allow me a card and toilet key! I took medication.. I'm wearing a pad, like I'm doing everything I can π
Private or public, I think everyone should be "allowed" to use the toilet and no one should be spoken to like that! π»
I will hold my own and I will speak up for those with invisible conditions!
We deal with enough! π¬π
Rant over! - π‘π’
