A vicar who suffers with asthma says he was made to feel like a criminal after being ordered out of a chemists for not wearing a mask.

Father John Taylor is exempt from wearing the face coverings because of his health condition but was told to leave Paydens in Margate , which he regularly visits to collect his prescription.

The pharmacy in Hawley Street told him it was "company policy", but Father Taylor says the experience left him feeling humiliated and embarrassed.

"I have never been thrown out of a store before as I am not a criminal," he said.

"An assistant shouted at me inside the shop to wear a mask, at which point I politely told her that I was exempt, which she should know because the pharmacy has long-been giving me my medicines.

"I was then made to leave and wait outside, which made me feel like a criminal. A member of staff told me it was company policy.

"But surely somewhere like a chemists knows the legitimate exceptions for wearing a face mask for people with certain medical conditions."

Father Taylor, 56, a dad-of-five who lives in Surrey Road, Margate, says he was annoyed to then see a delivery driver enter the chemist without a mask, facing no objections from staff.

"Part of my medical exemption is that I am asthmatic," he said. "I also suffer from stress-related panic attacks and this would trigger breathing difficulties.

"Whenever I go on a train, a bus, or in any other shop, they accept my rights without question.

"I have not slept properly since it happened and am extremely agitated by this, so much so I cannot personally enter the shop again myself.

"My wife Prisca had to go back to the shop and pick up my medication for me.

"It is causing me constant sleepless nights due to the added unnecessary stress and anxiety, on top of all the worries from Covid restrictions themselves."

A spokesman for Paydens said: "“We are sorry that this customer found our service unsatisfactory, in these unprecedented times our front line staff are working extremely hard to do their best for all our patients. "Following a Government announcement, from July 24, 2020, there has been a legal requirement for any visitor to a shop to wear a face covering.

"Whilst there are exemptions from wearing face coverings for certain individuals, our company policy advises staff that any customer not wanting to wear a face covering, for whatever reason, should be politely asked to wait outside the premises for our “at the door” service.

"The reason for this is that despite being exempt from wearing a face covering, we need to protect our staff and other members of the public using our pharmacies.

"Many of the customers who visit pharmacies are very vulnerable and need to feel safe whilst in enclosed spaces where social distancing cannot be guaranteed, especially in healthcare environments.

"It was certainly not our intention cause any distress, we are just doing the best we can to keep everyone safe as possible."

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