When being served in a shop I can’t stand being marginalised while the person serving holds a conversation over you with another member of staff, or worse, their friends who just happen to have popped by to hang around. Generally these staff are friendly enough, but don’t understand/never-have-been taught how rude and uncomfortable it makes the shopper feel. I’m pretty sure this doesn’t happen at the my pub. Notwithstanding the atmosphere at a pub is far more relaxed, and banter tends to fly back and forth, but I would be mortified to think a customer felt anything less than the centre of our complete attention while being served courteously, and with a smile wile being served. We are all customers. We all pay each other’s wages. We all deserve mutual respect, and patience.

The incident that sparked this little moan did not occur in Malmesbury, but Nailsworth, but it happens everywhere there are very young staff, and demoralised workers on a low wage.

Musical accompaniment