A Wetherspoons employee allegedly refused to serve a deaf woman, accusing her of being drunk because she spoke too loudly, her husband has claimed. Sally Arathoon, 47, who suffers from Ménière's disease and has lost 55% of her hearing, visited the Wheatsheaf pub in Ellesmere Port with her husband Scott and family after his mother's funeral on Wednesday.
According to Scott, when Sally went to the bar to order a second drink and a coffee, a staff member told her, 'you're drunk, you're slurring'. Sally, who cannot hear well, responded that she was deaf. Scott said his wife was 'mortified' and her hands were shaking. He alleged that another staff member repeated the accusation, despite Sally showing her hearing aids and explaining her condition.
Scott claimed other staff members said Sally was fine and looked shocked by the interaction. He said the incident has 'knocked her confidence' and left her 'embarrassed, humiliated and upset'. The couple rarely go out due to Sally's condition, which causes vertigo, tinnitus, and balance issues.
A Wetherspoons spokesman, Eddie Gershon, said: 'We are investigating the incident and cannot comment further at this stage. We will be happy to speak with the people concerned once we have fully investigated the incident.'
