[Ammi]

County Stores in Taunton will not sell anything to anyone making a call

Staff think it is bad manners so have pinned up signs in the shop
'We've had plenty of positive comments, and the majority of customers on their phone apologise and stop the call,' a worker says
One person on the phone stormed out shouting 'stuff you'

A town centre shop is putting good manners above its own profits after telling customers 'If you're on your phone, you won't be served.'

County Stores in Taunton, Somerset, have taken the bold step of banning people from the front of the queue if they are nattering on their mobile.

A notice pinned up in the shop says staff will ignore them and serve the next person instead

The ban was the idea of counter assistants Sharon Kidd and Sarah Holley, who were fed up with having to wait for customers to hang up.

'Quite simply, if someone's on their phone we'll serve the next person,' Sharon said.

'People refusing to hang up when it's their turn to be served is happening increasingly, and as we're selling Lotto tickets the queue can get quite long

'We had some people coming up to us on the phone, not paying attention to what we were asking them and holding up the queue.'

Sharon said the policy had generally been well received, but she has heard the odd grumble and one young customer stormed out shouting 'stuff you'

She said 'We've had plenty of positive comments, and the majority of customers on their phone apologise and stop the call.


'People say it's a good idea because it's rude being on your phone and holding up the queue.'


County Stores owner Hugh Duder backs the rule, saying 'It's disrespectful to be on the phone when you want to get served, and the counter assistants shouldn't have to put up with it.'