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Brompton cyclist kicked out of Tesco again – a week after being told that folding bikes were welcome in its stores

Official Tesco Twitter account again apologises

A man who was assured by Tesco that he was allowed to enter its stores while carrying a Brompton has again been kicked out for attempting to do precisely that. The staff member involved refused to change their position even when he showed them a previous apology from the supermarket chain’s official Twitter account.

Ben Bawden was last week told that he couldn’t enter the Tesco Express in Epsom while carrying his folding bike due to ‘health and safety’.

A series of tweets between himself and the chain’s Twitter account ensued with most of Tesco’s messages having subsequently been deleted. However, common sense appeared to prevail when he was eventually told: “We're very sorry for the error in our last tweet. There is no policy on Brompton bikes & welcome customers who use them.”

This apparent victory was short-lived, however. This morning, Bawden told road.cc:

“I went in yesterday with my Brompton, half folded – so it can be used a bit like a shopping trolley – and one of the staff members told me I had to leave it outside.

“I showed her the tweet from Tesco, but she wouldn't change her mind. So I stormed out and went to the Co-op over the road.”

Another exchange with the supermarket’s Twitter account has seen Tesco again apologise.

 

 

However, despite these efforts, Bawden has understandably not been won over.

“I doubt I'll try again. They don't deserve my custom,” he said.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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20 comments

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Hirsute | 6 years ago
1 like
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srchar | 6 years ago
0 likes

I've been asked to leave Tesco in Hertford before, after wheeling in my bike to get some mid-ride snacks, because "the wheels are dirty" - yes, exactly like the soles of everyone's shoes, or the wheels on kids' buggies etc.  I didn't argue; I just went to M&S, where the security guard offered to hold my bike while I picked up a prawn sarnie and a slice of Victoria sponge.

I didn't "storm" out though... sounds like the Brompton rider needs to learn how to manage his anger.

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Bill H | 6 years ago
1 like

@daviddb, funny that you mention the GP surgery. I was once asked about bicycle locks by a colleague and after boring him rigid for ten minutes about buying a lock for X% of the bike value etc it turned out that his interest was due to his phenomenally expensive pram / all terrain baby buggy. It had cost over a thousand pounds and he dreaded leaving it outside the Dr's in case it wasn't there when he returned!

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LastBoyScout replied to Bill H | 6 years ago
0 likes
Bill H wrote:

@daviddb, funny that you mention the GP surgery. I was once asked about bicycle locks by a colleague and after boring him rigid for ten minutes about buying a lock for X% of the bike value etc it turned out that his interest was due to his phenomenally expensive pram / all terrain baby buggy. It had cost over a thousand pounds and he dreaded leaving it outside the Dr's in case it wasn't there when he returned!

I've been known to lock our pram up with a Kryptonite lock when we first got it, out of paranoia, but they seem to be fairly immune to theft, judging by the number of them that get parked and left around various places.

As it happens, our local surgery has a nice set of covered bike racks.

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daviddb | 6 years ago
0 likes

Me and my Rose welcomed with open arms at Maplins Stratford East. Which was a bit of a hurrah. Local Drs surgery has nothing to tie up a bike to except the hi-viz

handrail for the less mobile. Chuh!

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ricardito replied to daviddb | 6 years ago
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daviddb wrote:

Me and my Rose welcomed with open arms at Maplins Stratford East. Which was a bit of a hurrah. Local Drs surgery has nothing to tie up a bike to except the hi-viz handrail for the less mobile. Chuh!

My local GP surgery was refurbished and extended a year or so back, including extending the car park.

Still no sign of any cycle racks though... You might imagine GPs would want to encourage active travel - not on this evidence (or should we blame the architects and consultants?)

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dottigirl | 8 years ago
2 likes

I have mobility difficulties, so would struggle with the 50m walk from the nearest bike stands to my local Sainsbury's to pick up any basics. I take my bike in and prop it in the window several times a week. Only a couple of times has security queried it, usually only because there's a delivery. (The regular guy now knows me, and has seen me struggling on a bad day and using a crutch.)

They would lose a fair bit of custom from me and other local cyclists if bikes weren't allowed in.

Besides, for that particular branch, I heard that planning permission included a clause about bike parking. And there is certainly no evidence of this, apart from the conveniently empty space by the front window.

 

Btw, my local butcher is quite happy for me to prop the bike inside the shop while I shop there. And it's usually cheaper and better quality produce than the supermarkets. In fact, a lot of small local shops are happy for me to do this, even if they are limited for space inside. 

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Redvee | 8 years ago
1 like

I've been on my way to work and needed cash and the only AT was inside a local Co-op and wheeled my bike in, used ATM and wheeled it out with no issue, done cashback at the till in same store with no problems. Some metro shops are cramped though and you'd have problems then regardless of the OK being given by head office for a Brompton.

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Cheesyclimber | 8 years ago
5 likes

My particular bugbear at the moment is Toolstation. I've taken my bike in a few times before and propped it against the wall, without any problem. But recently I took my £2,000 bike in and was told I needed to leave it outside. This is a shop which sells lengths of pipe, which, in total, measure many times more than the steel tubes which make up my bicycle.
But then I kinda sympathised, and realised that it was probably an order from way up on high. I ended up convolutedly locking my bike to a pipe outside.
Thing is, Toolstation is a shop which sells bike racks and bike locks, so why the hell can't they just put some outside their fucking stores?

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brooksby replied to Cheesyclimber | 8 years ago
2 likes
thelimopit wrote:

bThing is, Toolstation is a shop which sells bike racks and bike locks, so why the hell can't they just put some outside their fucking stores?

I'd guess it's the same as B&Q, or many large supermarkets: when building the store, they couldn't imagine that someone would come there to shop riding on a bicycle, so no provision was made for them. At a DIY place in particular,  a customer on a bike will be in a vanishingly small minority, I'd wager.

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Ride2Wk replied to brooksby | 8 years ago
3 likes
brooksby wrote:
thelimopit wrote:

bThing is, Toolstation is a shop which sells bike racks and bike locks, so why the hell can't they just put some outside their fucking stores?

I'd guess it's the same as B&Q, or many large supermarkets: when building the store, they couldn't imagine that someone would come there to shop riding on a bicycle, so no provision was made for them. At a DIY place in particular,  a customer on a bike will be in a vanishingly small minority, I'd wager.

Common problem in Australia too unfortunately even though research shows that many customers do NOT drive to the shops. Cyclists, pedestrians and public transport users actually make up a large proportion, even a majority in some areas, yet because many managers and designers drive cars, they assume everyone does. 

Even for the hardware, I often ride instead of drive. At the counter I notice a lot of people with only small purchases that are easily carried on a bike.

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srchar | 8 years ago
4 likes

You're entirely at the mercy of whoever's working that day when you take a bike in a shop. Friendly, helpful type, who realises that they're working in the service industry? No problem. Jobsworth with a chip on their shoulder who hates everyone who walks through the door? Forget it.

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demolitionspecial | 8 years ago
2 likes

Take my road bike into either of my two local Co Op stores on my daily commute. Properly welcomed in both as I walk around with a basket slung over the bar ends.

'ooh, you don't want to leave that outside love, it looks expensive. Bring it in!' was the reply when I first enquired if it was ok.

They get all my custom.

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Guanajuato | 8 years ago
6 likes

As usual, 'Health & Safety' being used as an excuse for being an arse. Absolutely bugger all to do with H&S, just a jumped up self-important little prat uable to back down despite all the evidence. http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/index.htm

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yupiteru | 8 years ago
0 likes

Local small Tesco near me have no problem with me or my kids taking our bikes inside and parking by the baskets. Security and Tesco staff very friendly, so no complaints. Haven't tried wheeling bike around the store though - not a lot of room in the isles.

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congokid | 8 years ago
0 likes

I've taken my Brompton into my local Tesco Express, but it has such a cramped layout even wheeling the completely folded bike behind me is difficult, especially when I've got a basket in the other hand. It's the same with local independent convenience stores, though large stores and supermarkets present no problem as the aisles are wide enough to accommodate lots of large trolleys.

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Canyon48 | 8 years ago
0 likes

I've been into a few Tesco and Co-op stores pushing my road bike (half way through a long summer ride going to get a drink) and no one has batted an eyelid...

Maybe it's just in the countryside where people don't get angry at you for buying stuff from them  3

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harrybav | 8 years ago
1 like

"Thanks again" is not an apology. That'd require "Sorry once more" or similar. Maybe it's just been lost in the trimming / editing of the story.

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ct | 8 years ago
1 like

U OK Hun?

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antigee | 8 years ago
1 like

"So I stormed out and went to the Co-op over the road.”

#crapstory #notwittercrapplease

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