Shelly Wall was on a family trip to London with little Noah, who has spina bifida, and was left shocked when she was informed by staff at the luxury department store that she would not be able to enter with Noah’s specially modified wheelchair.
A security guard told the 43-year-old mother that Noah’s ZipZac wheelchair looked too much like a ‘toy’ and would have to be left in the luggage department if the family wanted to come inside.
Commenting on the ordeal, Shelly told local media: “It was absolutely horrendous. We were told to leave Noah’s wheelchair in ‘left luggage’ as if it was a toy. The guard just wouldn’t budge, even when we explained that Noah was paralysed and that he wanted his wheels to move, he wouldn’t have it.”
“He just kept saying it didn’t look like a wheelchair and left it at that – we all left in tears,” she added.
As Noah is too young for a conventional wheelchair, he uses the ZipZac, which is designed to give a toddler more independence.
Shelly went on to share a photo of herself and Noah outside the store to Facebook, detailing her ‘disgust’ over her family’s treatment by staff at the store.
The post later went viral, and Harrods bosses proceeded to send Shelly and Noah a letter of apology, branding the guard’s behaviour as an ‘unintentional error in judgment’.
Your staff NEED educated ! Not allowed your wheelchair in @Harrods as it doesn't look like a wheelchair #SHOCKING pic.twitter.com/cegDuamZVE
— ©#HugsForNoah™ (@HugsForNoah) June 22, 2015
“We are very sorry to hear of your experience at Harrods today and we sincerely apologise for the offence and distress this has caused you and your son. We take your comments extremely seriously and we have investigated the issue as a matter of priority,” the letter read.
As a goodwill gesture, they also extended an invitation for the family to come back to the store and enjoy a complimentary meal in their Disney Café.
