Shoppers threaten to boycott Wickes after boss says trans-critical customers ‘are not welcome in our stores’
SHOPPERS are threatening to boycott Wickes after the boss said trans-critical customers are “not welcome” in their stores.
Fraser Longden, the DIY giant’s tog dog, yesterday then slammed people who disagree with him, calling them “bigots”.
The comments have caused an uproar online, with customers threatening to longer spend their money at Wickes.
Longden made the comments amid an online trans summit, saying trans-critical people should stay out of his shops.
The chief operating officer aid: “That might have been us before, it might not be us afterwards – and equally, if they do come in and buy a tin of paint and behave that way, they’re not welcome in our stores anyway.”
The boss also announced: “I don’t think I’m ever going to change some of the bigots out there’s minds.
“I’m never going to win that argument with them, so we were doing [the Pride float] to show support to the community.”
One potential customer claimed she would be shopping elsewhere from now on.
She wrote on Twitter: “I have literally just stripped my daughter’s room to totally redo it for her 13th birthday. I need absolutely everything.
“Fitted wardrobes, flooring plaster coving, skirting, paint, electrical fittings. Everything.
“I will boycott Wickes and order everything from online stores.”
Another took to social media posting: “Dear Wickes. As I am no longer welcome in your stores I shall be cancelling my £4,000 kitchen order and moving it over to Howdens.
“You can also rest assured that I will no longer bring my bigoted self into your store for any future purchases. Toolstation all the way from now on.”
Longden was also slammed by campaigners – as the firm’s shares have also dropped 4.25 per cent today,
Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, who has campaigned for the rights of women and girls in sport, blasted Longden’s comments.
Said that many people would be ” taking their bigoted business elsewhere”.
James Esses, an ex-trainee child therapist who was thrown off his university degree for holding gender-critical views, also slammed the boss.
He wrote: “These offensive, divisive and discriminatory remarks are an absolute outrage.
“I wonder how the majority of Wickes’ customers would feel, knowing its senior management holds them in such disdain?”
Twitter owner Elon Musk reacted to Esses’ tweet with a simple ‘!!’
Speaking about a previous situation, which had similarities, A PR expert said this was “not the right way to go about” such stances.
Gareth Boyd, Marketing & PR Director at Forte Analytica, told MailOnline: “Cutting your core audience in the hope you can draw a completely new audience in, who haven’t been exposed before, doesn’t make sense.”