John Lewis apologises for asking mum with crying child to leave store

Lindsay Robinson said she was shocked to be asked to leave John Lewis when her child had a tantrum

John Lewis has apologised to a mother who was asked to leave one of its stores when her toddler had a tantrum.

Lindsay Robinson told the Manchester Evening News she was shopping at the Trafford Centre branch on Saturday when her 16-month-old daughter, Heidi, began crying.

Ms Robinson, 36, of Prestwich, Greater Manchester, said she was asked to leave after "complaints" from other shoppers.

John Lewis said it had "written to formally apologise to the customer".

The company also said an investigation has been launched into the incident.

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In a statement, it added: "We are very sorry that Mrs Robinson was upset after visiting our shop and have arranged for a delivery of flowers.

"One of our department managers spoke to her on Saturday to apologise and to explain this clearly shouldn't have happened.

Lindsay Robinson was shopping at the Trafford Centre store on Saturday when she was asked to leave

"We are still investigating this incident with the partner concerned but at this stage believe he didn't escort Mrs Robinson out of the store, but he did ask her to leave in response to other customers' complaints.

"We are speaking to him about what happened and how we could have been more sympathetic to Mrs Robinson and her daughter."

'Rubbish mum'

Ms Robinson claims she was escorted out of the busy department store by a member of John Lewis' staff.

She said: "He said to me 'I'm afraid we've had a complaint, you will have to leave'. I was shocked.

"I dropped a key ring and rucksack for Heidi that I was about to buy, and this staff member escorted us out of the store.

"I said to my friend, who was shopping with me 'did that really happen'?"

Ms Robinson later made a formal complaint to John Lewis.

She added: "I am not interested in any voucher or money.

"My point is that when shops see a mother trying to deal with a child having a tantrum they should cut them a bit of slack. I was made to feel like a rubbish mum."

The Trafford Centre was busy with shoppers buying Mother's Day presents on Saturday