Unreasonable behaviour?

[ClareC]

Has anyone had any trouble with the chap who owns / runs Fabric on LL?

My house mate wanted to put a post on here after her experience yesterday, I suggested it wasn't a good idea as it was a negotive experience and she is only a lurker to the forum, hence my posting instead. I am also rather dubious about adding it myself given that it involves dogs which are another controversial issue...... but it all was rather odd and I feel a certain amount of responsibility given that it was my dog. Anyway here goes! *ducks for cover *

My house mate was enjoying the sun yesterday, her and her friend took my two dogs for a long walk, having walked round Peckham Rye and Dulwich Park they stopped off at the Chandelier for a drink. The Chandelier staff were happy to have the dogs sat outside and brought them both water which they happily lapped up.

Upon leaving Chandelier and walking back up Lordship Lane, one of the dogs urinated on the pavement, outside the barber shop just before Fabric. The shops at that end of the lane are quite set back from the pavement and have walled "gardens" separating the shop and a reasonabe garden size area from the pavement. The dog was on the pavement when this happened not anywhere near the shop or its shop front "garden".

The chap in Fabric came out and asked my friend if she was going to clear it up, at first she thought he was joking but apologised in true British style. People in the neighbouring shops who had witnessed what had happened were laughing at the whole incident, which reinforced her initial reaction that he was joking. The man in Fabric got irate and demanded that my friend cleared it up and told her he was going to call the police.

My friend realised that he wasnt joking after all and said that it would dry very quickly in the sun, she would happily clear it up but as she didnt carry a bucket of water around could he loan her a bucket of water. He wouldnt do so and just continued to shout at her. Eventually realising that reasoning with him / request for water were getting her nowhere she lwalked away.

He left his shop (unattended?) and followed her, continually shouting abuse and threatening her with the police. Eventually to placate him she borrowed a bucket of water from the launderette and washed the already nearly dry wet patch on the pavement.

I for one cannot stand it when dogs foul on the pavement and owners fail to pick up, I always pick up as do the limited people who walk my dogs.

I completely understand and agree with the irritation and annoyance caused by people not picking up faeces, however, to my mind It is not physically possible to pick up liquid.

It is most definitely not illegal for a dog to do this and this reaction seems incredible and nothing short of bullying. Indeed bystanders told my friend to ignore him.

[????]

I urinated outside Fabric in Smithfield and got beaten up by a bouncer

[ClareC]

Had you have been carrying a bucket of water to deal with such situations you could have distracted the bouncer by drenching him and made a swift escape, avoiding said beating ;-)

[Mark]

The guy in that fabric shop was so nasty to my obviously pregnant neighbour she had to leave the shop crying. Personally I avoid the shop because he sounds like scary chap.

You can report people for threatening behaviour, the po-lice would treat that more seriously than dog pee on a public pavement. If there's a next time, tell your friend to pop into the nearby, soon to be closed, po-lice station and report him.

[ratty]

What is this shop? I cannot think where it is.

[Mamma Mia]

It's along by the Magdala. I went in for the first time a couple of weeks ago to buy some ribbon. I was left speechless by his outburst over what width of ribbon I wanted ?! After an uncomfortable silence he began to apologise profusely. Very odd chap. Clearly has anger issues.

[VeryBerryCherry]

This sounds like the funniest shop ever!

[HonaloochieB]

Shouldn't he call it Fabric Towers?

Perhaps this is his way of asserting his masculinity in order to offset the fact that he runs a 'notions store'

[oblivion]

Glad someone else has experienced (name removed - The Administrator), I dare anyone to mention world politics, you'll be in there for hours and hours and hours. he be one of them Mentalist people.

[first mate]

He once told me that he was allergic to dogs and won't allow them in his shop. Fair enough.

His behaviour to your friend is quite extraordinary and totally unjustified. I wonder if he knows that normal urine, even dog pee, is sterile?

If there is a next time let him go ahead and call the police, I'm sure they'll tell him where to go and save you the trouble.

[lozzyloz]

I've just poured some Fabric conditioner through his letter box. He'll be soft and cuddly in the morning.

[oblivion]

it'll act as a chaser for the Daz he drinks. Have you noticed how scarily ice blue his eyes are?

[candj]

Sorry your friend had this experience as it seems a bit unreasonable. No one should have to walk down the street enduring a shop owner yelling abuse at them (she should have walked towards the police station!).

I too had a really weird experience with him, but have never posted anything about it because I thought I was having an off day and I didn't want to be so negative. He was very sarcastic and rude to me when I went in to buy some oil cloth for my kitchen table. I wouldn't have thought anything of it until a week later he was casually walking by my HOME when I was loading the kids into the car and told me I had a nice car... this sent shivers down my spine. Glad to know it wasn't just me.

[ClareC]

It's certainly good to know this isn't a random incident!

Definitely sounds as though the place need's renaming Fabric Towers as suggested by HonaloochieB :)

The words screw and loose spring to mind!

[jumpinjackflash]

What a bloody prick! Insisting she clear up dog's wee?! He's off his head he must be. I feel like going down there now and cocking my own leg up outside his poxy shop just to antagonise the wanker. Your poor friend must have felt so humiliated.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

"Insisting she clear up dog's wee?! "

Should have told him to piss off:))....now "poo" poos different....I have 4 West Highland Terriers and the 2 males have a habit of cocking their legs often.I would be forever on my hands and knees::o

[Tony.London Suburbs]

....don't get me wrong I'm sure there IS a place for getting on ones hands and knees but near a fabric shop in Lordship Lane......

[Siduhe]

I also had a difficult and frankly bizarre experience when I tried to purchase something from this shop last year (assuming it is the same person described here - the owner). My conclusion at the time was that he didn't actually want to sell anything to anyone and must be independently wealthy (or he has another line of business which he uses to fund the fabric shop). To say that his customer services were lacking would be an understatement.

[david_carnell]

Maybe it's a Stringer Bell-style front.

Do they offer photocopying as well?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

He is a slightly strange chappy. Always banging on about when he had a shop in Berwick Street. But he's okay. Just.

[oblivion]

yup. I've had the hour on Berwick Street aswell. He obviously has issues.

I do remember feeling rather pressurised into buying several metres of a fabric I wasnt sure about - that 'look' he gives you - very very scary.

Needles to say I've not been back there.

If people are rude they should be made aware that this is unacceptable behaviour and asked to apologise.

[HonaloochieB]

It's just a feeling on my part, but I reckon if he was asked 'Do you have ribbons and bibbons?' enough times, he might learn some manners.

Of course he might go garrity the first time he hears it.

I'm not terribly reliable when it comes to that sort of thing.

Up to you.

[Cassius]

I too have encountered some strange treatment in there - he definitely is a bit eccentric to say the least, and there is something about him that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. He has never been downright rude, but does seem a bit off-kilter.

[Annasfield]

I didn't realise that so many people in Dulwich bought fabric.

What a git though, next time I walk the dogs I will hope and pray that the same thing happens. Would love to give him what for. >:D<

[SeanMacGabhann]

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THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT! Phew - Thanks Annasfield...