A grandma has said she has been left 'distraught' following a visit to KFC with her 9-year-old disabled granddaughter. Anne Deegan Hunt, 61, treated Leila to a trip to the fast-food chain, along with her career.
The trio went to a local chain in Southport, on Eastbank Street on Saturday. When they got inside, Leila became stressed out due to the loud music.
She has learning disabilities and autism. Anne, a grandmother of eight, said she was unable to calm Leila down, who had climbed onto a table and was shouting for the music to be stopped.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo she said: "Leila had managed to get on to a table and was screaming for the music to be turned down. The whole shop could hear her.
"I explained she was autistic and asked the employee at the counter if he could turn the music off. He told me he would have to talk to the manager."
Leila then started to hit herself as Anne waited for the music to stop playing. She said: "Anne had started punching her stomach. She has a Stoma had so she was at risk of causing serious harm to herself."
When the employee came back out, Anne was told that the manager would not turn the music off and that it could only be turned down. She said: "The employee was really understating and he apologised but the manager didn't even come out to see what was going on."
Leila who also has Goldenhar syndrome and suffers with social anxiety, struggles to find activities that she enjoys doing. Her grandmother said: "Because of her autism she has built up anxiety about going out and she only enjoys doing certain things. I was more upset for Leila because that's one of the few things that she likes to do."
Anne eventually managed to get Leila off the table but had no choice but to leave said: "I don't think turning the music off would have spoiled anybody's dining experience. It's probably more distressing to watch a child in that state.
"As they wouldn't turn the music off the situation was just getting worse. I was left feeling distraught and Leila's disability wasn't accommodated at all."
A KFC spokesperson said: "We’re really sorry we didn’t get this one right. We want our restaurants to be a welcoming place for everyone, and we’ve followed up with the team to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We’d like to make it up to the family and would love for them to get in touch with our Care Squad to give us the chance."
