Asda 'embarrassed' dad on petrol station forecourt

Ian Wallace was told that he was “blacklisted and banned from filling up” by a member of staff who had rushed over to him in front of watching motorists.

He had been trying to buy diesel for his Volkswagen van on April 25.

Ian, chairman of developer Hampshire Homes, said he was made to “feel like a thief” over an “honest mistake”, and was shocked six weeks later when his son fell victim to the same issue.

The 62-year-old had been visiting his local petrol station, on Grange Road in Hedge End.

The ASDA forecourt on Grange Road (Image: NQ)

Ian said it soon became clear that on his last visit on April 5, he had accidentally paid for the wrong pump, and his details were registered on the store’s automated number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.

Ian said: “After realising I had paid for the wrong pump on my last visit, I immediately paid the amount.

“What I did not appreciate was being embarrassed in front of a forecourt of people and made to feel like a thief.

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“I understand that there are those that run off without paying but I don’t see why decent people should be accused of stealing for an honest mistake.”

Settling the outstanding amount and choosing not to return to the former Texaco petrol station, Ian hoped this would be the last of the situation.

But six weeks later, on Sunday (June 9), he was shocked when he received a call from his 18-year-old son William, telling him the same thing had happened to him.

Ian told the Echo: “William was also accused of not paying for fuel in his car on two occasions.

“The staff were demanding a payment of more than £100 before he was allowed to fill his car up.

“He was left feeling very uncomfortable. It became clear that they assumed that both William and I had not paid for fuel when we both had - we had both been charged for the wrong pump.”

Ian now wants the store to review its policy to ensure that customers are no longer “accused of being thieves” for a simple mistake.

In response to the fiasco, a spokesperson for Asda said: "As Mr Wallace and his son had previously paid for the wrong pump when they filled up, the next time the ANPR system recognised their license plate numbers the store was alerted.

"We've been clear that Mr Wallace, nor his son, do not have any outstanding money left to pay and as such, have asked our ANPR system to remove the alert from their license plates."