B&Q refuses voucher

A B&Q shopper was "disgusted" when the superstore refused to accept a £10 voucher in exchange for £9.50 worth of goods.

Peter Slinger of Ninfield tried to use a voucher given to his son when he wanted to buy a few items in the home improvement and garden centre at Ravenside.

However at check-out he was told B&Q would not accept the voucher even though it carried the names B&Q, Comet and Woolworths.

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Peter was offered a notice advising customers of this B&Q decision, following the collapse of Woolworths, but he refused to take it and walked out with the goods anyway.

He was surprised to be visited by Sussex Police a few days later to be told he was accused of theft and given a week to sort the problem out.

"It was a surprise," said Peter of The Blacksmith Pub.

"I didn't think for a minute that B&Q would follow it up. I thought I had offered a fair payment for goods.

"My son was given the voucher at Christmas and I bought it from him - I paid good money for the voucher that says it is redeemable, and they are reneging on their responsibilities.

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"The vouchers are issued with their blessing - they should take it on the chin."

The problem has since been dealt with but a B&Q spokesman commented: "Whilst Woolworths Plc is in administration B&Q is no longer accepting a specific type of multi retailer gift voucher, which was sold by a company that is ultimately owned by Woolworths Group Plc. The vouchers being suspended are primarily sold to large corporations for incentive programmes and we are advising anyone in possession of such vouchers to return them to the company who issued them."

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