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| Nail salon's 'wheelchair refusal' | Nail salon's 'wheelchair refusal' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A woman claims she was told she would not be served at a nail salon because she was in a wheelchair. | A woman claims she was told she would not be served at a nail salon because she was in a wheelchair. |
| Laura Williams, 28, who has muscular dystrophy, says she was reduced to tears after twice being refused service at Hollywood Nails in Port Talbot. | Laura Williams, 28, who has muscular dystrophy, says she was reduced to tears after twice being refused service at Hollywood Nails in Port Talbot. |
| The salon in the Aberafan Shopping Centre disputes her account and says she was asked to return on a different day. | The salon in the Aberafan Shopping Centre disputes her account and says she was asked to return on a different day. |
| Two carers who were with her say they support her claims. | Two carers who were with her say they support her claims. |
| Ms Williams, from Cwmavon, said she had been a customer at the salon for around two years. | Ms Williams, from Cwmavon, said she had been a customer at the salon for around two years. |
| She said she had her nails done at the salon about four weeks ago and after they started growing returned last week to have them "refilled." | She said she had her nails done at the salon about four weeks ago and after they started growing returned last week to have them "refilled." |
| "They said 'no - not today' so I did not think anything of it and went back on Monday," she said. | "They said 'no - not today' so I did not think anything of it and went back on Monday," she said. |
| "Again they said no so we asked them why and he said 'because you are in a wheelchair and I do not like you'. | "Again they said no so we asked them why and he said 'because you are in a wheelchair and I do not like you'. |
| "My carer went back in then and said can she make an appointment or something, come back another time? and he said no." | "My carer went back in then and said can she make an appointment or something, come back another time? and he said no." |
| Ms Williams said it was the same man who had served her on previous visits. | Ms Williams said it was the same man who had served her on previous visits. |
| "I was shocked. I have never come across anything like that," she added. | "I was shocked. I have never come across anything like that," she added. |
| The nail salon said Ms Williams was asked to return on a different day | The nail salon said Ms Williams was asked to return on a different day |
| "I burst into tears when my carer went back in. The people in the next shop came out and gave me tissues. | "I burst into tears when my carer went back in. The people in the next shop came out and gave me tissues. |
| "One of my carers went and got a security guard." | "One of my carers went and got a security guard." |
| She said she made a complaint to the manager of the shopping centre but added in no way did she blame him, as she had always been treated well when visiting the complex. | She said she made a complaint to the manager of the shopping centre but added in no way did she blame him, as she had always been treated well when visiting the complex. |
| Ms Williams has now created a site on the social networking site Facebook detailing her allegations. | Ms Williams has now created a site on the social networking site Facebook detailing her allegations. |
| "I just want to put my point across - they should not be treating people like that," she added. | "I just want to put my point across - they should not be treating people like that," she added. |
| When a reporter from the BBC Wales news website visited the salon, he was told the manger was not available. | |
| However a short time later a woman called and said she was the manageress and denied Ms Williams's allegations. | However a short time later a woman called and said she was the manageress and denied Ms Williams's allegations. |
| She said whenever Ms Williams visited the shop she was the one who served her. | She said whenever Ms Williams visited the shop she was the one who served her. |
| She said as she was not available staff asked Ms Williams to return another day. | She said as she was not available staff asked Ms Williams to return another day. |
| She said the staff spoke little English so there may have been a misunderstanding but denied they refused to serve her because she was in a wheelchair or they did not like her. | She said the staff spoke little English so there may have been a misunderstanding but denied they refused to serve her because she was in a wheelchair or they did not like her. |
| She said the shop was happy to serve customers with wheelchairs. | She said the shop was happy to serve customers with wheelchairs. |
| Ms Williams was accompanied on Monday by two respite carers from the Swansea Neath Port Talbot Crossroads charity. | Ms Williams was accompanied on Monday by two respite carers from the Swansea Neath Port Talbot Crossroads charity. |
| Manager Gareth Williams said: "It would appear that, in this particular instance, standards exhibited by the retailer involved apparently fell short of such widely recognised values. | Manager Gareth Williams said: "It would appear that, in this particular instance, standards exhibited by the retailer involved apparently fell short of such widely recognised values. |
| "We [have] confirmed to Laura Williams that, if she were to consider pursuing the matter under anti-discrimination procedures via regulatory or legal bodies, we would in these circumstances be happy to provide the written statements of our staff members who were present at the time." | "We [have] confirmed to Laura Williams that, if she were to consider pursuing the matter under anti-discrimination procedures via regulatory or legal bodies, we would in these circumstances be happy to provide the written statements of our staff members who were present at the time." |