Thousands of children will get them this Christmas – but the craze of shoes with wheels has failed to impress supermarkets in the region.
Many have now banned the shoes, called Heelys, amid fears customers or staff could get knocked down by youngsters whizzing by. Youngsters wearing the in-vogue shoe, which has a retractable wheel, are regularly seen skating up and down the aisles of supermarkets. The smooth floors and wide aisles are perfect for practising with the shoes.
But notices are going up at stores in the region telling children to remove their wheels before entering.
At Sainsbury’s at Wolverhampton’s Bentley Bridge, a sign says action has been taken “to reduce the risk of accidents to our customers and colleagues”.
Manager Steve Smith said there had been no specific accidents but added: “It is on the grounds of health and safety that we have implemented this ban.
“We don’t want to have a case where a customer or member of staff is injured.”
The ban is thought to be the first of its kind in Wolverhampton, but other stores in the West Midlands and Staffordshire, including Asda and Sainsbury’s in Cannock, have introduced bans.
Roger Vincent, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “It’s the same with skateboards or roller skates; if you use them sensibly, you are less likely to get hurt.
“With Heelys, however, because they are regularly used around shopping centres, there is more of a possibility of there being a lot of other people around in that environment. Provided they are used in a sensible manner, Heelys can be safe.”
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8 Comments
over here in France the staff wear them to get around the shop.
They should be banned in shops, i get sick of going shopping and having to avoid kids going up and down the isle’s on these blooming things - your not allowed in on rollar blades / skate boards etc - why are these any different????
they are a nightmare in shops..the kids show no respect for others…mind you neither do the parents
Just need some ‘concerned’ parent to try and sue a store when their child gets injured wearing their Christmas heeleys…..
If all else fails and you are run into in the Supermarket by a kid on Weelys, a good swift kick up their bumsys with your toesys will usually slow them down. (unless of course they’re wearing their hoodsys)
I wish they would do the same thing here in Canada. These things are a total nuisance ( the heelys and the kids! ) The kids have the manners that the parents give them, which are negligable. Add this lack to the heel things and it’s scary.
The Merry Hill Centre should ban them too, you take your life into your hands walking round there, i blame the parents for buying them in the 1st place!!
I wish dennis heely was banned years ago