Anger as guide dog refused access to restaurant

An official complaint has been made to a city restaurant whose staff initially refused to allow a blind person into their premises because she had a guide dog.

The incident happened in the Newcastle area over the weekend and the matter has now been taken up by an official from the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

It was a traumatic experience for Gina McNamara from Camilaun Park, Newcastle when she was stopped at the door of the restaurant by a staff member.

She was told that there were no dogs allowed into the restaurant because they were fearful that a health inspector would call.

But Gina impressed upon the staff that it was her guide dog, named Cherie, and presented identification to this effect. Legally guide dogs are allowed everywhere.

“We went out for a walk on Saturday and because it was such a horrible day, I decided to go into this particular restaurant for a snack.

“The staff member I first encountered told me that there were no dogs allowed. I have had this dog since last June and it is my eyes for getting around.

“I explained this to the staff member who then discussed it with another staff member and eventually I was allowed in, but they put me into a corner away from other customers.

“This has not happened to me before, but I know of situations in which other guide dog owners were turned away from restaurants,” Gina told The Keith Finnegan Show on Galway Bay FM during the week.

Yesterday, she said that an access officer from the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind had made contact with the restaurant and the owners admitted that they had made an error and would be apologising to her.

“It was very upsetting for me that this should happen. It is not acceptable at all what happened and I would hope that it will never happen again,” she said.

Gina urged others who experience a similar attitude to report the matter immediately.