My mum is blind and used to have a guide dog called Poppy. I went into a shop with my mum and Poppy. It was a shop that sold household items like ornaments, tablecloths, lamps etc. I was looking for something and to save mum standing outside waiting for me, we all went in. We were wandering around browsing and I noticed the shop assistant following us around. I eventually stopped and asked the shop assistant could I help him. He told us dogs weren't allowed in the store to which I promptly told him that Poppy is a guide dog so yes she was allowed in the store. He then said to me well your mum and the dog will have to stay still then and not walk around the shop because I don't want anything knocked over. I was so enraged by this, poor mum was mortally embarrassed. I told him in that case he had just lost a sale as guide dogs and their owners should be allowed to wander freely in the shop. I also told him we'd be reporting him. Mum didn't want to make any sort of fuss but we did report him but I'm sure we never heard anything from anyone again. However I never went near that shop ever again. On another occasion she was told by the owner of a handmade chocolate shop near to where she lived at the time that he didn't believe she was blind and for that reason he didn't want her or her guide dog in his shop ever again. My mum used to live in Brodick on the Isle Of Arran and the shop is on the shore front in Brodick. My mum used to take Poppy for a walk on the shore front and the shop owner had seen my mum let Poppy off her lead for a free run. And this was the reason he used for telling my mum he didn't believe she was blind.😱 Needless to say from that day on our family boycotted that shop. My brother still lives on Arran and when we're over there that's a shop we avoid to this day. I'm sure my mum could probably tell more stories of discrimination against her and Poppy.
