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Ian Robson, 48, was punched in the head and face and dragged over the counter by a man holding a knuckle-duster minutes shortly after reminding a group of men of the need to wear masks. He was left with a black eye, cuts and bruises following the assault and says he is now reluctant to challenge customers for not wearing a mask.
Four shoppers went into the store – in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear – without masks and Ian reminded them of the government regulations.
Three of the men accepted his comments but one said he would never wear a mask so Ian told him he would not be served without one. “I wouldn’t say he was best pleased when I told him that,” said Ian today.
Shortly after the group had left the shop, another man came running in, pushed aside an elderly woman Ian was serving at the counter and launched an attack. “This was a different person, who wearing a scarf to cover his face, but I am certain the attack was sparked by the earlier incident. It must have been somebody who knew the group of men.”
Ian, who was not wearing a mask while serving because he is exempt due to underlying health conditions, said he had stopped raising the issue with some shoppers since the attack.
“I’m certainly a bit more wary these days and I don’t challenge people over face masks because of what happened. I just don’t want to risk it because face masks have become an area of great difficulty for all shop workers.
“Retail staff face a daily challenge trying to get customers to follow the rules to help keep everyone safe – including themselves. I was just doing the right thing and trying my best to keep everyone safe. In the shop we get a lot of elderly people who have just started coming back out after being told they had to isolate.
I try to look after them, as well as my own family. I just think everyone needs to be understanding.”
It was the first assault Ian had suffered during 11 years at the Nisa outlet but he is now fully recovered and back working five days a week at the store. Northumbria Police are still trying to trace the person responsible for the attack.
