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 giant decided they would no longer have separate male and female changing rooms at its stores across the UK.
Instead, they would 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”, reports The Manc.
Charlotte Kirby, 25, uploaded a tearful video to TikTok last Friday 23 September, saying that two different men pulled back the curtain of the cubicle she was in on separate incidents while she was trying on clothes at the Primark store in Cambridge.
Image: Primark
Ms Kirby said she felt she needed “to get the word out” with her video.
“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.
“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.
Image: Trafford Palazzo
“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. I know I will never be doing that again."
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.
“We are currently reviewing our approach to fitting rooms in our stores to ensure these are always safe and inclusive spaces for everyone.”
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Sheffield amongst nine areas to be long listed for UK City of Culture 2029
Clementine Hall
It's big news for Sheffield as the city has officially been long listed to become the UK City of Culture in 2029.
It’s one of just nine places across the country to make the cut, alongside the likes of Blackpool, Portsmouth and Wrexham.
Winning the title could bring huge investment to Sheffield, thousands of visitors, and a massive spotlight on everything that makes our city special - and let’s be honest, Sheffield’s got plenty to shout about.
From music and film to art and grassroots creativity, culture runs right through this city, and it would be a huge achievement to receive this title.
So, what happens now? Each arena will now receive £60,000 to develop a full application with the aim to build a vibrant cultural programme by 2028.
The nine confirmed long listed locations are: Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "For far too long, opportunity has not been shared equally across the country. The UK City of Culture and new UK Town of Culture competitions recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation.
"I look forward to seeing what the nine long listed places have in store as they progress in the competition. I also urge any towns thinking about entering the UK Town of Culture competition to seize this opportunity and get involved. It’s a chance to show the country what makes them unique and shine a spotlight on their cultural offer, enriching the lives of local people."
Go on Sheffield, we're rooting for you big time. We can't think of a city more worthy.
The Hoot -
28th September 2022 
