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.”
After six years in the city, independent homeware retailer North Home is closing its Leeds city centre shop.
If you're a lover of all things home then you'll have most likely visited the gorgeous North Home shop in the Victoria Quarter.
Stacked to the brim with unique pieces from striking ceramics to stylish soft furnishings, North Home is known for its well-curated stock and great customer service.
Seriously, we've probably spent a good hour in here in awe of all the beautiful pieces.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Last week, curious shoppers noticed the three-storey store was suddenly empty and now the company have confirmed that they have closed for good.
In a statement, they said: "After nearly 6 wonderful years trading in Leeds, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our physical store while we restructure the business and explore the next chapter for North Home.
"Retail has changed significantly in recent years and, like many independent businesses, we’ve faced increasing costs.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
"Taking this step now gives us the opportunity to protect what we’ve built and focus on the future of the brand. North Home continues to operate online and all existing customer orders will be fulfilled as normal although delivery times may be slightly extended.
"We’ve loved being part of the Leeds retail community since 2020 and are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received. We hope to share more about our plans soon."
We'll be sad to see them go and we hope this isn't goodbye forever, but you can still shop from North Home online here.
Neighbourhood Leeds bistro hailed as ‘a bit horny’ and ‘brilliant’ by national critic Camilla Long
Clementine Hall
Food critic Camilla Long visited Leeds for her latest review for The Times with her sights set on Horsforth's finest - Bavette Bistro.
Ever since opening back in 2024, Bavette Bistro nestled in the leafy suburb of Horsforth has made waves across the country for its sheer brilliance.
It's pretty much received five star reviews across the board and been handed awards from left, right and centre. And rightly so.
The Good Food Guide crowned Bavette the best local restaurant of 2024, and Michelin handed them a well deserved Bib Gourmand - so it's safe to say it's not just us who think it's really something special.
So it was only a matter of time until The Times popped in for a review, and this one is truly glowing.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review labels Bavette as "warm, unmannered and unpretentious" as well as "authentically French".
Long describes the food as "gorgeous, confident, surprising" with a menu that "isn’t too long" and "filled with sturdy, noble dishes, whiffing mightily of the sea and the soil."
It continues: "All of it made with generosity and cheer, served fast by nimble waiters, with a long, if slightly eccentric, wine list. To bang out French dishes with this much fiddly detail and to do it to a full room is not easy. Yet all four courses came in under two hours, for about £75 a head, which in London terms is nothing.
"It’s not that this place was perfect, it’s that it was decidedly not perfect. A bit too much chat about the menus; the oeufs in the meurette not quite runny enough. But the point is: it didn’t matter. All of it came charmingly together. It felt relaxed, just right."
The review is then wrapped up with a pleasing five stars, the cherry on top of the cake.
It's a review only restaurants can dream of, and we can't think of a more deserving team - congratulations Bavette.
The Hoot -
28th September 2022 
