This tops it

Until 1999, there was no objection to bare-chested male customers during the months of April to October, nor on any other warm day.

One Saturday in June 1999, two members of staff remonstrated with me for walking around the store bare-chested.

I withdrew my custom until the issue was resolved.

After complaining in writing to the store and the main Leeds office, I was told there was a ruling at the store prohibiting male customers from walking around bare-chested.

Eventually the Leeds office sent the regional manager of the time to the store to investigate.

He confirmed to me no such ruling existed. When I entered the store bare-chested on July 27, 2002, I was refused service and ejected.

I showed the store the letter from the regional manager but staff would not accept it and claimed there had always been a ruling prohibiting bare-chested male customers.

There are now notices in front of the store reminding customers tops must be worn inside.

I complained to the customer relations department at Leeds and was told the regional manager's letter carried no weight and there is no authority to question the decision of a local store manager.

In a seaside vicinity, this is an outrageous ruling so I have withdrawn my custom.

* ASDA Brighton Marina general store manager Mike Jones replies: The general store manager (GSM) has authority to implement or change store policy as he sees fit.

In this instance, I am in complete agreement with the previous GSM, who implemented this regulation. It is entirely inappropriate to walk around bare-chested within a food store.

Furthermore, the store is air-conditioned so it should not be necessary to remove clothing for comfort.

We have 500 colleagues staff who work fully clothed in uniform and who experience no problem with this.

-My main concern is that our rules are in accordance with the wishes of the majority of our customers, which I believe in this instance to be the case.