UPDATE: Shop apologises over music
Trendy fashion shop Jack Wills has apologised after angry members of the public barricaded staff inside when they refused to switch off loud music during Cheltenham's Remembrance Day parade.
The 15-minute stand-off started at 11.30am on Sunday as veterans and standard bearers prepared to march along the Promenade, shop staff turned on the sound system, pumping out pop music. Horrified passers-by demanded they switch it off as a mark of respect, but they refused.
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Jack Wills in the Promenade
So the furious crowd barricaded staff inside and kept shoppers out until the service ended – then marched into the shop to tell the sales assistants what they thought of them. Workers told outraged spectators the council allowed them to play music from 11.30am.
In a statement released on Monday afternoon, Jack Wills said: "There was a misunderstanding between our staff in our Cheltenham store and those attending the Remembrance Sunday service.
“The Jack Wills staff had liaised with the council in advance of the Service and had agreed that the store would open as usual at 11am.
“In line with other shops in the area, it was also agreed that the shop would delay turning its in-store music on until 11.30am.
“Unfortunately, the service had not finished at 11.30am, and despite this, the staff in the store decided to switch the music on.
“Although in doing this they were following a pre-agreed instruction, clearly this was an error of judgment that caused offence to attendees at the service.
“Although this offence was not deliberate, Jack Wills would like to apologise unreservedly for any upset caused and will make every effort to ensure that mistakes like this are not made in future.”
Clare Simmonds, who was paying her respects at the service at the war memorial opposite, said: "It's disgusting. My late grandfather was awarded the Military Cross for action he saw in Germany with the Royal Artillery in World War II. I also have a friend who is serving with the same regiment in Afghanistan. I can't believe they wouldn't consider turning it off for another 10 minutes. It's appalling. It upset me."
Clare, of Gloucester Road, Cheltenham, is so incensed she has already written a letter to Jack Wills' head office saying the store was disrespectful.
Although Remembrance Day prayers, hymns and addresses passed without incident, music came pumping out while the veterans were preparing for their final parade.
Eleanor Clark, from Cheltenham, also asked shop workers to turn down the music.
She said: "They flatly refused and said we were being rude. We were all very upset. The woman there didn't care at all. I was shocked.
"They just had to keep their music off for 10 more minutes and they wouldn't do it. They said the council told them they could turn the music on at 11.30am so we were to complain to the council.
"They knew the service was still going on, they could see the parade going past and yet they made the decision to ignore it.
"Those of us who protested were ordered out, but none of us needed to be told. We'll never set foot in Jack Wills again."
A member of the Jack Wills staff said: "We weren't trying to be disrespectful. We listened to the council and were happy to do what it had said."
She and another young supervisor were in charge of the store yesterday in the absence of its manager.
"Because we're not managers we just have to go with what we're told," she said.
She said staff had felt threatened, especially when two men held the doors shut.
She added: "The people outside the shop were screaming at us. They weren't moving out of the way. We were scared."
165 Comments
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by Claire, Bristol
Thursday, November 12 2009, 10:07PM
“I am totally shocked and thoroughly disgusted by the attitude of the staff members at the store and feel that thier actions were indeed disrespectful and appauling.
I do not outwardly support the idea of going to war but I understand the needs behind it and place great value on the lives that are lost and given up for us, to provide us with freedom, choice, democracy, and the right to live a life free.
It is one day a year that we have to remember all those that have lost thier lives and it really sadens me that I at 31yrs old understand this, and that the actions of the staff within the shop quite obviously don't! They have taken what they have in thier lives for granted
Shame on them - they should be named and shamed.”
by Emily, Cheltenham
Wednesday, November 11 2009, 10:11PM
“My brother is in afganistan at the moment, to think that they couldnt even stop for 10mins of their day to pay respect - my parents have told me i am not to shop in their again.”
by Eleanor, (18) Cheltenham
Wednesday, November 11 2009, 7:43PM
“I was personally appalled by the actions taken by Jack Wills. Surely common sense should have prevailed, for them to check if the service had indeed finished before turning the music on? If it was agreed to wait until 11.30 for when it was (approximately) meant to finish, surely some thought may have occured which would perhaps suggest that sometimes, these things do overrun.
Secondly, for a company who's slogans include "Fabulously British"..which would suggest a feeling of pride in our heritage.. it doesn't particularly add up when the men who fought to keep us all "Fabulously British", have their memories insulted by this blatent lack of respect by a few people who clearly lack the common sense they were born with.
Perhaps a suitable apology could be made in the form of a donation to the British Legion..They can of course afford it..!
Lest we forget.”
by Brian, Manchester
Wednesday, November 11 2009, 8:54AM
“Just turn it off - keep your mouths shut and let the parade continue.
Simple. We don't need loud music in a shop anyway.
Put it this way - I won't be spending anymore money with them ever.”
by Sarah sinclair, Chester
Tuesday, November 10 2009, 4:51PM
“I feel sorry for the Jack Wills staff; as anyone working in retail might know how anal head office can be if you dont follow their exact guidelines or god forbid the mystery shopper come in and there be no music on.
I'm very sure that the Jack Wills staff have every appreciation and respect for what rememberance Sunday stands for. But at the same time it is not their fault that consumerism has led to the situation where the shop can't even be closed for the morning.
They were WORKING it just goes to show that their job and doing what they are told by those paying their wages is also a high priority for them.
I imagine they wern't not holding off the music because they desperately wanted it back on but were just trying not to go against what they had been told to do .
I bet they are very grateful to all those brave men who have fought and are fighting. They may give them a thought everyday and dont need to have just one specified day to pay their respects.
I think people just enjoy a good old moan and a whinge...”
by Susan, Cheltenham
Tuesday, November 10 2009, 2:38PM
“I think It is awful how the Staff have been blamed, surely it was the Supervisors decision. If the company had any sense they would at least demote the Supervisor who showed such a lack of consideration and poor lack of judgement in such a situation. An apology does not overcome the issue that such a poor decision was made my a member of staff who holds such authority?”
by stoptheworldiwanttogetoff, Gloucester
Tuesday, November 10 2009, 8:31AM
“GlosBob, Glos
You miss the point....at just about all levels!
Read the comments from those that were there, both staff and attendees of the parade.
Jack, Cheltenham, you think again before making infantile comments. Oppression occurs where you haven't been, obviously....read a little more, open your eyes and your mind, then your mouth.
Both of you read all the comments here, and you will very quickly realise, you are completely out of step.
And so that there is no conflict between interested parties, let's have the shops on Remembrance Sunday not opening until 12.00am.
Plenty of time then for staff and shoppers to give a little time, if they wish, to those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, allowing us this fantastic liberty.
Anyway, 'Driver, stopthew”
by Aly, Hucclecote
Monday, November 09 2009, 11:11PM
“The point is not where people live or how much Jack Wills is making or whether the clothes are good value or not - it is the fact that turning the music on was disrepectful whilst the parade was still going on - it was a judgement call for the management of the shop which was probably in hindsight made without thinking. I know one of the people who asked for the music to be turned off and the behaviour of those requesting for it to be turned off was not threatening. So kids lets not get stupid with our comments and miss the point.”
by EJ, Cheltenham
Monday, November 09 2009, 11:10PM
“Keep up at the back please - *entry to the shop was not barred*. That is, *entry to the shop was not barred*. And thrice: *entry to the shop was not barred*.
When you have your facts about the fact that people were bullies or are making "demands", please present them. If, as I suspect is the case, you have none, you are being slanderous. Will people please READ the comments as well as the story.”
by EJ, Cheltenham
Monday, November 09 2009, 11:06PM
“Justine and Ed - you are both very eloquent and to-the-point. Well said.”