Supermart in UK says sorry after staff tell lesbian couple to stop kissing, Latest Others News - The New Paper
News

Supermart in UK says sorry after staff tell lesbian couple to stop kissing

This article is more than 12 months old

A supermarket chain in the UK has apologised after a lesbian couple was told to stop kissing in one of their stores - on National Coming Out Day.

The spokesman for Sainsbury's said they called and personally apologised to university student Annabelle Paige, 22.

But the store denied claims that a security guard had asked Ms Paige and her girlfriend to leave, after a customer reportedly complained the couple was 'disgusting'..

Ms Paige, 22, an English Literature student at Sussex University, said she had given her girlfriend a "light kiss" while they were shopping in a Brighton store on Saturday (Oct 11).

She told newspaper The Times that the guard asked them to leave or continue shopping without being affectionate as it was making other customers uncomfortable.

“To be honest, I thought she (the security guard) was joking," Ms Paige said.

"I’ve never experienced something like that and at the same time as we were in the store there were heterosexual couples being as affectionate, if not more so."

It seemed a customer had complained that what the couple was doing was disgusting and claimed they were worried for the safety of their child.

The Sainsbury’s spokesman told ITV News:

“This should never have happened - it is clear that Miss Paige and her partner were not behaving inappropriately and we are very sorry that they were treated in this way."

Ms Paige accepted the apology and 100-pound (S$205) donation to a charity, the spokesman added.

Founded in 1988, National Coming Out Day aims to celebrate people being able to talk openly about their sexuality.

Sources: ITV News, Mail Online, The Times

lesbianSupermarketUncategorised