A row between an independent retailer and Palmer & Harvey Snowking over melted ice cream has escalated into a major incident, leading to the retailer's deliveries being suspended amid accusations of threatening behaviour with a knife.
Gabe Green, owner of Ringstead Stores (Londis) in Ringstead, Northamptonshire, began having problems with thawed goods in early June and refused several deliveries he said had melted, all of which he reported to P&H and the local Environmental Health department.
However, the issue of the thawed products was never resolved as, following a delivery on June 30, Snowking suspended Gabe's account after the delivery driver had accused the retailer of shouting, swearing, throwing food and threatening behaviour with a knife. Snow-king has informed Gabe that the GMB union will not allow any driver to come to the shop until it receives a written apology.
The request has infuriated Gabe who claims to have been calm and polite and only used his pocket knife to cut through some packaging to show the driver the melted ice cream.
Gabe said: "They should be apologising to us for their appalling service and the loss of a month's sales."
P&H said it was reviewing the incident.