Arnos Vale man wants to sue over ‘rock’ cake

An Arnos Vale man might be taking the Farmer’s Market Bakery to court over a pebble he claims to have found in one of their pastries.{{more}}

Romarl John, 18, visited SEARCHLIGHT last week and related how he came about the pebble he claims to have found in the raisin slice he purchased for $2.

John, a Hospitality student at the Technical and Vocational Division of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, said he went to Options Supermarket in Arnos Vale and purchased the pastry and was eating it on his way home.

“When I bite, I feel something tough edge me teeth. When I spit out, I see it was a stone…,” John related.

John said he immediately returned to the supermarket and spoke to the manager there, who put him onto Farmer’s Bakery, which had baked the pastry.

“When I go there now, they tell me to go to the Ministry of Health to hear what they saying to ascertain whether the stone came from the cake or somebody put it there…,” he explained.

After doing as he was instructed, John said he did not get a concrete answer and returned to the bakery.

“They asked me if I want back my money that I paid for the cake, or if I want back another cake,” he said.

John said he told the bakery owner that their suggestion was not satisfactory.

“They said the only thing they could do is refund me a cake or gimme back the $2. So I asked them what will happen to my teeth that was damaged and they say they can’t do anything about that.”

According to John, if the bakery had apologised, he would have accepted it and gone along his way.

He noted that he’s already sought legal advice.

Meanwhile, general manager of Farmer’s Bakery Adrian Deane, when contacted, confirmed that John had lodged his complaint about the pebble he allegedly found in the pastry.

According to Deane, John and his mother came to the bakery and they told them to go to a specific health officer at the Ministry of Health, but instead, they went to another health officer.

“After they went there, they went to another health officer and she called me and told me she had examined the pastry and had seen the object. While on the phone, she said she saw the young (John) and he just walked out while she was on the phone.”

Deane added that he was told by the health officer that she was trying to assist and when the young man walked out, the matter to her was closed.

The manager said that he made another call to the original health officer that he sent John to and was also told that the matter was closed, since John had walked out.

“The same day, the young man turned up at the bakery demanding money. He said he’s not satisfied. He even sent me a text message,” Deane stated.

Deane explained that in the past, they have paid out money to persons, just to save the name of the business and for “peace sake”, but noted that some people have made false claims.

“That’s why we report these matters to the Ministry of Health now to avoid this…,” Deane said.

Deane explained that they journeyed back to Options Supermarket with John and asked him in front of several persons how he wants to be compensated.

“I asked him how does he want to be compensated and all he did is say ‘alright, alright’ and walked out..,”

Deane said he even received a telephone call from John’s mother and told her to come in to the bakery to talk about the matter.

“I called a bailiff as witness and in front of his mother, I asked him what he wanted and he said his teeth was damaged.

“I told him the procedure is for him to go to the dentist, but as far as I am concerned and the Ministry is concerned, the matter is closed, but I am still willing to compensate you, but we are advised not to just pay out money,” Deane related.

“We have been advised to bring these kinds of matters to the ministry. If we are liable for something, we not going to run from it. We are looking to please the customers. We are not looking for enemies or a bad name for the business. It’s a struggle to keep businesses alive nowadays, but you just can’t pump out money,” he said.

A representative from Options Supermarket yesterday told SEARCHLIGHT that they only carry the merchandise from Farmer’s Bakery.

“We do not add or take away anything. We do not know what goes into the product. Those that are not sold, they come back and take them away,” the representative said.