AN INDIAN restaurant owner has apologised to a customer after a mix-up left the diner being refused entry.

Mr Lorenzo of Aylesbury End, Beaconsfield, was reportedly refused entry into The Old Bengal Restaurant in Wycombe End, Beaconsfield, on Thursday, September 14, due to having an assistance dog with him.

Mr Lorenzo, who wishes to withhold his first name, has had his support dog Maisy for eight years. She will alert his owner if he comes into contact with seafood to prevent him from having an anaphylactic shock.

The 32-year-old told the Free Press: "I think it’s disgraceful that a restaurant has refused someone with a disability entry to eat a meal with friends.  

Bucks Free Press: Maisie

"We arrived around 7.30pm it was very quiet and no booking. They stopped us just going through the door and stated no dogs. I said she is an assistance dog and recommended him to read the ID card she has and the regulations."

The diner added: "I was left feeling discriminated against due to a disability and humiliated as there were other people there. You could not reason with him, I explained he’s breaking the law and still he said they don’t like dogs."

Learning of Mr Lorenzo's experience, restaurant owner Anwar Hossain apologised unreservedly and explained it was an error in judgement from a kitchen staff member working on that occasion.

He said: "This is the first time this has happened and we should respect them [customers with assistance dogs] and we can accept them in the restaurant, there's no problem. 

"Not everybody knows the rules for guide dogs, the staff member from the kitchen didn't know the rules at the time but if it's a guide dog we [will] allow that, we need to allow that."

Mr Hossain also expressed his apology to the customer and made efforts to speak to Mr Lorenzo after the incident.

Adding: "I would say sorry to him on behalf of the restaurant and I would like to speak to him and apologise personally."

Guide Dogs UK revealed back in November 20222, that the majority (81 per cent) of guide dog owners responding to a survey have been illegally refused entry to a business of service, because they were with their guide dog.

Blanche Shackleton, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at Guide Dogs, said: "Guide dog owners deserve to be able to live their lives the way they want and feel confident, independent and supported in the world. 

"The law is clear, and yet guide dog owners continue to experience access refusals, which are almost always illegal. "