General Chat

from wearing a poppy. She says she has a friend serving in Afghanistan and other friends due to go out. American owners of this Southampton shop looking into it.

Disgraceful!!

If it is true it is,as you say, disgraceful. Would like to hear the full story though. Maybe it is some sort of health and safety thing? Does it say what sort of shop?

shameful

well the shop should be so ashamed

Clothing shop and the uniform is red so as the young lady said it did not even stand out. The shop is sited inside a large shopping mall. In the news, in paper and on teletext. What about a couple of weeks ago poppy sellers asked if they could stand inside door of grocery shop for shelter they were refused. The shop - A..I

It is a non religious British custom, showing support for charity for a few days a year.

>>>A member of management at the store declined to comment.
Hollister is part of the Abercrombie & Fitch group which is infamous for its strict staff dress code.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1327826/Shop-assistant-banned-wearing-poppy-uniform.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz14iOLciso<<<<

The young lady was told that the poppy was not part of the uniform and was told twice to remove it.!,,not by the US shop owners but the acting supervisor/manager.

Silly person.hope they get a roasting and it dont damage sales with a boycott.

Southampton of all places...they were bombed badly during the war you know so that person should know better.

They have not learned. On BBC Southern news an ex vet poppyseller complete with medals and beret came out of the mall to state that last year he stood in front of the shop and was told to move on. News then played the outcome of a court case last year involving same shop and a teenaged assistant who was refused permission to wear a cardigan to cover up her posthetic arm. It showed the young lady and her arm - she was awarded £9000 by the court.

Rita, do they ever stop to think that those young men are putting their lives at risk so that yobs like that can walk free?

The second paragraph was lovely and that is how it should be.

The British Legion is for ALL British service personnel and their families, when ever they served.

I wonder what the situation would be if American assistants in American branches wanted to to wear a Stars and Stripes flag pin? Would the Patriot Act be invoked against the Company??????

DET

Wonder if that shop will observe the minutes silence on the 11th.

People forget how much power they have and can boycott shops like this. Hit them where it hurts, in the takings.

MotownGal - I was going to say, it is a similar situation in our local Morrisons. They are always on the inside, in the foyer, never out in the cold.
Julia in Derbyshire

Disgusting. What would happen if everyone took the attitude that they would only wear a poopy on 11 Nov. Not many would be sold.

According to Ceefax this morning, company has had a rethink and employees will be allowed to wear the poppy on Rememberance Day. Personally I think customers should 'walk on by' until after the 11th.

Rita that is exactly what my husband said just a few minutes ago. He said if he lived in Southampton he would buy the biggest bunch of poppies for his coat and walk in asking to see the manager. Me - I would rather stand outside with a placard advising public of their views on the poppy!

Their treatment of this teenager and of the teenager who had lost an arm they need to do a massive rethink.

In my opinion the Shop concerned should be "Boycotted" by the local people,and the owners notified why.**M**.Hit them in the pocket where it counts.

Not be able to wear a poppy? moving on an old veteran refusing to allow poppy sellers? I think that is all quite dreadful, and the owners of the shop concerned should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. As for booing the soldiers, well, if people don't like our military or feel they are affront to their own countries, than I suggest that they go and live in those countries, only trouble is, the welfare and freedom of speech facillities might not be quite what they're are here!!!!! Muts that we are!!!

I really can't see that wearing a poppy on a lapel once a year for a few days, out of respect for our War dead can possibly be breaking any dress code!! After all it is worn out of respect, not as a decorative accessory! While I agree that wearing a poppy long before Nov 11 is a bit like putting up Xmas decs in October, neverthless, I think it is really great that there are young people around who DO care about these things and that should be encouraged. It also needs to be remembered that but for these exceptionally brave men and women our country would be a very different place, perhaps without the facillity to say what we do or do not approve of, and the least we can do is for ALL of us wear our poppies with pride and gratitude, not hidden away inside our coats or only at certain times and in certain places