A man with a facial disfigurement has recounted the incident when he was asked to leave a restaurant in London after staff alleged that he was “scaring customers.”
Denied Service At London Restaurant
Oliver Bromley, 42, had just finished a treatment session in southeast London at King’s College Hospital and chose to have lunch at a nearby eatery, but after trying to place his order, he was told to leave because customers had reportedly complained about his appearance, as reported by The New York Post.
Bromley, who has Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a genetic disorder that leads to the growth of benign tumors on nerves, expressed his shock at being asked to leave so suddenly.
“I hadn’t even sat down,” he stated, adding that When he went to place his order, he was asked to leave. A man behind the counter informed him there had been complaints, telling him to exit. Bromley recounted, “I asked him to repeat himself, and he said I was scaring customers.”
Although he was troubled by the encounter, Bromley hoped his experience would raise awareness and educate the hospitality industry about his condition. “There’s a lot of naivety around the issue,” he said, expressing his wish to help others understand his condition better.
“It’s just something some individuals have to live with,” Bromley stated, adding that there was nothing to be afraid of.
Bromley Seeks Awareness And Change
“I am hoping this raises awareness and that, going forward, there might be a positive outcome and prevent it happening again,” The New York Post quoted him as saying.
Bromley also contacted the restaurant, which he chose not to name, but said he received no response. He then reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police, who classified it as a hate crime. The Met informed the BBC that officers had visited Bromley, and while no arrests were made, they emphasized that they take “reports of hate crime seriously.”
Bromley stated that this was the first time he had experienced such direct discrimination. According to the New York Post, he said, “People stare — young children, especially — but I’ve never been treated as directly as that.”
Karen Cockburn, the charity’s director, mentioned that they have reached out to both the restaurant in question and UK Hospitality, the trade association. “Whilst we have not received any response from the restaurant, I am delighted to say that UK Hospitality has offered to work with us to raise awareness of the condition in the hospitality sector, and I am meeting with them shortly to kick start this joint venture.”
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