OAP told to cover up by Harvey Brown landlords
PENSIONER Jim Burgess is fighting for his right to go topless in the block where he lives – after being told to cover up.
The 74-year-old has taken on the housing association which owns Hayling Island's Harvey Brown House, over claims he is embarrassing fellow residents.
Following letters and warnings from staff at Guinness Hermitage Housing Association to keep his top on, Mr Burgess refuses to back down.
The retired engineer said he has received support from many of his neighbours.
"It is my right not to wear a shirt if I don't want to," he said.
"This is who I am. I just don't tend to feel the cold, so all year round I wear a pair of shorts.
"There's nothing obscene or immoral about what I'm doing and if the association thinks it can railroad me into putting on a shirt then they're dead wrong.
"They are trying to take away my civil rights and I don't think it's fair."
Mr Burgess said that it is only in the corridors and laundry rooms that he refuses to put a shirt on,and that he is always fully dressed in the common room of the sheltered building, in Restawhyle Avenue, which houses a total of 65 supported flats.
But a spokesman for Guinness Hermitage said it does not make a distinction between the different areas.
It said it has issued letters to all residents reminding them of the association's policy.
Mr Burgess said: "All the other residents I have spoken to think the letters they sent out to everyone were disgusting.
"Now we have had another letter calling us all to a meeting to discuss what they call anti-social behaviour, which is what staff have told me I'm doing on more than one occasion.
"Well, I'm going to stand up and tell them what I think of them– they can't just bully me like this.
"I work hard helping my local church and I would do a favour for anyone, but I won't change who I am."
Nigel Peters, a spokesman for Guinness Hermitage, denied that the meeting had anything to do with Mr Burgess.
He said: "It was brought to our attention that some residents have been inappropriately dressed when visiting the communal areas of the scheme, such as the communal lounge, laundry room and corridors.
"We have no written policy on appropriate dress in communal areas.
"However, we do ask that all our residents ensure that they are adequately dressed in the communal areas to ensure that there is no embarrassment to other residents or their visitors.
"We have written to all residents within the scheme, asking for their co-operation in this respect."
Guinness Hermitage added that if Mr Burgess continued to ignore their warnings then they would use a range of options to settle the dispute.
This would range from informal discussions to independent mediation.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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