It’s assault, says chips ban dad

HAD his chips . . . Chris Brown was manhandled out of the shopping centre for carrying chips

A LAW-abiding dad was stunned to be banned from Oldham’s shopping centre — for carrying a bag of chips.

Chris Brown says he was told by a security guard to stop eating the chips as he passed through Spindles and Town Square shopping centre, so he carefully covered them up as he nipped into a store.

But on his way back out he claims he was manhandled out of the centre for carrying food and told he was banned.

The incident happened at 2.40pm on Thursday as he went to return a sim card accidentally left in a mobile phone he had bought from T-Mobile.

Mr Brown, from Chadderton, said: “I walked in eating a bag of chips and the security guard turned round and said ‘you can’t eat them in here’ so I said ‘no problem’ and covered them with paper. As I was walking back out towards TJ Hughes the security guard said ‘you’re banned for carrying food’.”

Mr Brown, who works in sports development at Oldham Sports Centre and teaches martial arts, pointed out that other people had food and were even eating, but was told they had bought the food on the premises.

When Mr Brown said he was leaving anyway, the security guard replied that he had to go via the main entrance.

He added: “He grabbed hold of me and manhandled me right out the main door.”

Mr Brown wanted the police to be called for assault and was pushed out the shopping centre four times until officers were sent for. They viewed CCTV footage but said as Mr Brown had been banned the guard was allowed to see him out.

Mr Brown said: “I’m furious. The upshot is I got forcibly evicted for carrying a bag of chips although I complied with the original request. What annoys me is that everyone was eating food but I covered mine up.

“I can’t believe it. I’m flabbergasted. I’m a 36-year-old bloke with a family. I have lived in this town all my life and walked in that centre since it was built and never had a problem.”

There are signs at the main entrance warning that eating food not bought on the premises is prohibited, but not on the entrance Mr Brown walked through.

Centre manager Mike Flanagan said as he did not witness the incident he could not comment or say how long the ban was in effect.