Shopkeeper losing up to £300 a day since school blocks pupils using store

Seevaratnam Thamilchelvan, owner and manager of Dominion Stores in Walderslade Road, told KentOnline that pupils at Greenace Academy were told not to use his shop after half term.

The school has since relaxed its rules to allow two pupils to use the shop at a time, but he says many are now avoiding the shop as teachers are standing outside “like security guards”.

Thamilchelvan told KentOnline: “Since Tuesday the kids have started to come in the shop, but we’ve still got three teachers standing outside of the shop. When the kids see them they go straight to school – the kids still feel they can’t go to the shop because they’re still standing outside. They’re standing like security guards.

“I don’t know what to do. I called the police yesterday, but they said they couldn’t help. It’s taken nearly 20% of my income – about £200-300 a day.”

Louise Campbell, deputy head at Greenacre, told the website: “What the school was doing was because they’re so protective of the pupils. Even if young children don’t have it (the virus) they can be carriers.

“They’ve not blocked or banned people from going in the shop. If you need milk or bread or essential items then of course they can go in. It was in an advisory capacity, asking do you really need to go in the shop, because the local community has been really anxious about Covid.”