Bosses at an Asda supermarket in Dundee have banned schoolkids at lunchtimes after staff were attacked and spat on.
Teenagers from St Paul’s RC Academy on Gillburn Road are no longer allowed into the Kirkton store during their break.
It comes after a series of anti-social incidents in recent weeks that have led to police being called in to assist workers.
It is claimed that staff have been physically and verbally abused and assaulted.
The ban will be in place until the summer holidays, when it will be reviewed.
Staff were seen turning youngsters away at lunchtime on Tuesday with police also present.
One shopper branded the recent incidents “shocking” and praised the actions of staff.
He said: “It’s disgusting staff have faced this sort of behaviour. These kids have been running amok.
‘Shocking’ attacks on staff
“While it will be a minority that have ruined this for the majority I don’t see what alternative the store had.
“The stuff about staff being attacked is shocking.
“They do a great job here and it’s a great community store.
“When I came in today there was a visible police presence at the main entrance and there were two police vans stationed outside the shop.
“There were a few kids turned away from the store and they seemed to take it fairly well.
“This probably reaffirms the minority have ruined this for the majority.”
Parents and guardians were sent emails about the ban on Monday, with some parents complaining online that they felt it was unfair to punish all pupils.
We have also spoken to the police and local schools about this decision and will review the situation again after the summer holidays”
An Asda spokesman said: “We have made the decision not to allow schoolchildren into the Dundee Kirkton store at lunchtime following several cases of physical and verbal abuse towards our colleagues.
“We have also spoken to the police and local schools about this decision and will review the situation again after the summer holidays.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council told The Courier: “The school continues to talk to Asda about the situation.”
The move comes after similar bans were imposed at a KFC in the city centre and a shop in Stobswell earlier this year.
James Simpson – reporter
While Asda was probably left with no other option following recent events, I did feel for the kids being turned way from the store when I visited at Tuesday lunchtime.
Some pupils were pleading with shoppers to buy their lunch as they attempted to dodge the ban.
It was all done in good humour, with one boy even asking me to pretend to be his dad to get him in.
There have clearly been problems with pupils and staff in recent weeks but that wasn’t evident during my time there.
Staff, pupils and police were having good engagements at the entrance as pupils were turned away.
Hopefully this action taken from Asda will have a long-term positive impact and pupils can return.
As one shopper said, the minority have no doubt spoiled this for the majority.
Conversation