Guide dog and owner turned away from Oxford restaurant
- Published
Kelsey, Lacey and their friend went elsewhere after they weren't able to enter Ramen Kulture on Wednesday
A blind student was left feeling "shaken and excluded" after a restaurant said it would not allow them and their guide dog to eat inside.
Kelsey Trevett, 20, visited Ramen Kulture in Oxford with their guide dog Lacey and a friend on Wednesday.
They said a member of staff refused to let them inside, despite acknowledging they were legally obliged to.
The restaurant has apologised and said it has taken action to ensure it does not happen again.
Under the Equality Act in England, Scotland and Wales, guide dogs and other assistance dog owners are legally allowed to enter most services, external, premises and vehicles.
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Kelsey, a student at Trinity College, Oxford, said incidents like it had been "frustrating" and "incredibly distressing in the moment".
In a tweet, they wrote: "To be unaware of the law is one thing: whilst awareness should be better, progress takes time.
"But to have the manager acknowledge the law, and still argue that he wasn't prepared to follow it, just added an extra layer to this discriminatory behaviour."
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In a statement posted on Instagram, Ramen Kulture thanked Kelsey for informing them of their legal obligations.
"We now have had a meeting with all staff in regards to the rules and guidelines information of access to food premises with guide dogs owners and we have established the information provided from the publication," they said.
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