Primark has confirmed it is conducting a review of its unisex changing rooms policy after a woman has complained two men walked in on her.
Earlier this year, the fashion retailer said it would no longer have separate male and female changing rooms at its stores across the UK, and would instead be opting for the introduction of gender-neutral cubicles that allow people of all genders to change alongside one another.
But now, a woman has taken to social media to share her recent experience, and her account has prompted the chain to confirm it will “review our approach to fitting rooms”.
25-year-old Charlotte Kirby uploaded a tearful video to TikTok on Friday saying that two different men pulled back the curtain of the cubicle she was in in separate incidents while she was trying on clothes at the Primark store in Cambridge.
Ms Kirby said she felt she needed “to get the word out” with her video.
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“I was just in Primark in Cambridge and I was trying on some clothes and it was a unisex changing room, which I’m all for and I love that because it makes everyone feel included,” Ms Kirby explained in her now-viral video.
“But twice men opened the curtain and walked in on me.
Please be aware/spread the word and stay safe girls. Don’t go in changing rooms alone. This never even crossed my mind when I went into a unisex changing room. Thank you @primark for dealing with this so well. I know worst things could have happened but I still feel very shaken up.
“Luckily, both times I was wearing clothes but I could easily not have been. It was two different people but they were clearly from the same group. There was so many changing rooms available so it’s not like they just were checking if someone was in there or not.
“The first time, the man just walked in and the second time he said before ‘have you tried it on? Can I see?’ and then he did it [opened the curtain]. Both times I was so shocked and I said ‘oh, sorry’ as if it was my fault.
“I just want to say to everyone to please be careful, and if you are going in a changing room, don’t go in on your own.
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“I know I will never be doing that again.”
Primark introduced unisex hanging facilities at UK stores earlier this year / Credit: Primark
Ms Kirby said the staff at the Cambridge Primark branch were “amazing” when she told them what had happened, and they even walked her back to her car after afterwards as she did not feel safe.
Primark says customers who are uncomfortable changing in a unisex fitting room can speak to a member of staff at any UK store, who will then direct them to “easy access” changing facilities that have a lockable door.
In a statement addressing Ms Kirkby’s experience, a spokesperson for Primark said: “We are really sorry to hear of this customer’s experience.
“It shouldn’t have happened and we’re urgently investigating.
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“We are currently reviewing our approach to fitting rooms in our stores to ensure these are always safe and inclusive spaces for everyone.”
Featured Image – Trafford Palazzo
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One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.
With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.
But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.
The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.
During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.
One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)
There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).
16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.
Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.
Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.
Clearly, the moral of the story here is , enjoy yourself… but just not too much.
Featured Image – The OurWhiskey Company (via Pexels)
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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals
Emily Sergeant
Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.
No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.
However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.
Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.
A new survey has revealed that half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner / Credit: Freepik | GoodFon
As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.
Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.
The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.
Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik
Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.
“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.
Emily Sergeant -
28th September 2022 
