TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK?

They wrongly start off with “Have you got a mask with you?"/ Your answer is – ‘No’ followed by silence./ On their training courses they are told to expect more than just ‘No’, so they don’t know what to say next./ The cafe manager I had today looked cross and added, ‘If you don’t wear a mask and are not exempt, we can refuse to serve you.’/Answer simply – ‘Okay.’ Followed by silence. Now they have no idea what to say or do and are totally confused./ If they refuse to serve you without finding out or asking if you are exempt you can sue./ Best thing is to wait and see if they can compute what to say next, which is of course entertaining./ Only reply to the question,’Do you have a mask?’ with ‘No’ and ‘Are you exempt? with ‘Yes’./ Otherwise, keep silent. If they refuse to serve you, threaten legal action immediately./ If they ask, ‘are you exempt?’ I always reply politely, ‘Yes.’/ But don’t reply to any other question or prompt, after saying you do not have a mask./ If they refuse to serve you without asking you about exemption first, you have a case against them, possibly winning £7000 in damages./ If they refuse to serve you knowing you are exempt, you can head straight to court ready to collect. Their insurers will soon grow tired./ Ask them to repeat the refusal and confirm on camera and in writing. ‘Are you quite sure you are refusing to serve me?’/ I would repeat that to them a few times./ Try to have a witness nearby./ They should always ask first ‘Are you able to wear a mask?’. This would save them a lot of time, stress, and probably money.

Small cafes privately owned should take note, and ask the right question first, which is ‘are you able to wear a mask?’

They will soon find more customers coming to them who are fed up with the bullying attitudes trained into a staff by corporate businesses.

MORE ON MASKS