Restaurant bans paralysed bride, 34, from eating wedding anniversary meal with her husband unless her two carers accompany them at same table
- Alicia and Kevin Willow wanted to dine at JRC Global Buffet restaurant in Cardiff
- But staff told the quadriplegic she would also need to pay for her two carers
- The carers would cost an extra £33.98 despite having no intention of eating
- Mrs Willow said she was made to feel 'completely alienated' by the staff
A restaurant banned a paralysed bride from eating her anniversary meal with her husband unless she was accompanied by her two carers at the same table.
Quadriplegic Alicia Willow, 34, wanted to celebrate her first anniversary with husband Kevin Willow, 36, at a buffet restaurant in Cardiff.
But Mrs Willow - who needs 24-hour professional nursing care since being hit by a car as a child - was told her carers had to pay up the £16.99 entry to order buffet food as well.
Mrs Willow phoned to book the table at the JRC Global Buffet and said she was made to feel 'completely alienated.'
Quadriplegic Alicia Willow, 34, wanted to celebrate her romantic anniversary with husband Kevin Willow, 36, at a buffet restaurant (pictured on their wedding last year)
The JRC Global Buffet in Cardiff - they told Mrs Willow over the phone she would need to pay another £16.98 each for her two carers to be seated with her at the restaurant
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She said: 'I feel very disappointed and upset and completely alienated.
'I really wanted to go to the buffet restaurant and I phoned to book a table.
'But when I said I have two carers that won't be eating - but they said they cannot go unless they eat as well.'
Mrs Willow is paralysed from the neck down after she was hit by a car as a child
Mrs Willow was paralysed from the neck down after being hit by a car as a toddler - and now relies on breathing apparatus 24 hours-a day.
She gets around in a motorised wheelchair and has two professional nurses to help her with daily tasks.
Last year she married Mr Willow after they met through online dating and the couple live together in Canton, Cardiff.
She wanted to go out for a romantic meal to celebrate - with the carers sitting nearby but not expecting them to pay to eat.
Mrs Willow said: 'I have been to plenty of restaurants where my carers have been allowed in with me and not been expected to pay for a meal. I was very shocked when JRC said they had buy a meal.'
It was a rare celebration meal out for Mrs Willow met the man of her dreams, security worker Mr Willow on Plenty of Fish.
She said: 'For the first time I'd met a man who was seeing the real me and not my disability.'
JRC Global Buffet - which has branches in London, Cardiff and Swindon - boasts of serving dishes from all around the globe and all under one roof including Indian, Japanese, Italian pizzas along with traditional British roast
Mrs Willow said: 'I feel very disappointed and upset and completely alienated'
Mrs Willow popped the question - and had to use her mouth to put the engagement ring on Mr Willow's finger.
And on the wedding day Mrs Willow did the same move with the wedding ring. Mrs Willow wore her dream white lace wedding dress and went down the aisle in her motorised wheelchair.
Her family were stunned at the restaurant refusing to let the carers sit nearby unless they paid up the buffet charge.
Her cousin Julie Curtis said: 'I am appalled at the empathy shown towards Mrs Willow who is quadriplegic and needs the assistance of her nursing staff.
'You wouldn't expect a guide dog to buy something in a shop so why should nursing staff on duty have to eat to be able to enter your establishment.'
Mr and Mrs Willow met on dating website Plenty of Fish and were married last year
JRC Global Buffet - which has branches in London, Cardiff and Swindon - boasts of serving dishes from all around the globe and all under one roof including Indian, Japanese, Italian pizzas along with traditional British roast.
After being contacted, JRC Global Buffet said Mrs Willow had been given 'wrong information' by a member of staff - and said she was welcome to eat at the restaurant with her carers.
Manager David Sun said: 'It's not true, it's not our policy to refuse people with carers. She was given the wrong information - the lady is welcome here with her carers allowed in without eating.'
