A COUNCILLOR found himself in a heated row with a shopkeeper over a request to put a poster for a Help for Heroes charity event in his window.
Mike Charles claimed he went into E K S Newsagents on Albert Park Road near is home about 10am on Monday (June 17), to buy a paper and ‘ask for a favour’, but ended up being ordered to leave by the manager Elvin Smith.
The 79-year-old Malvern Town Councillor said he asked Mr Smith if he would display the poster advertising the Victoria Park fundraiser at the end of the month, but the shopkeeper refused stating he did not allow any posters.
Mr Charles alleged when he asked if he would make an exception because it was for a good cause, Mr Smith moved around the counter and shouted and swore at him to get out of the shop.
“I have never experienced anything like this in my life especially when it concerns a charity event,” said Mr Charles.
“It absolutely stinks I was only asking him for a favour and he went mad at me. I will never go in that shop again.
“I have taken the posters to all of the nearby schools and other shops and they all thought it was a wonderful idea. That’s the sort of reaction I would have expected.”
Mr Smith confirmed he refused to put the poster up because it was his policy, but claimed Mr Charles threw his paper towards him in retaliation and ‘got in his face’ which is why he ordered him to leave.
“I don’t have any posters in my windows because everybody wants to have them up,” said Mr Smith.
“It was nothing to do with what the poster was for it was the fact he threw his paper at me and came up to my face.
“I am a very placid person but I was not having that in my shop, it’s private property. So I told him to leave and that I didn’t want him in here again.”
Mr Charles refuted Mr Smith’s version of events and said he simply put the paper down on the counter and did not put his face up to the shopkeeper.
