Ellis Brigham - Covent Garden — Local services in London

It was my first time in the store and most of the staff were lovely and helpful. I went downstairs to look at the shoes and wanted to try out the foot lab. There were no instructions but it was pretty self explanatory. I tried a few times and it didn't work. As I was trying to figure it out and reading the screen for instructions on what to do next, I wasn't stood on it straight. A worker came up behind me with pure snark telling me that I won't get a reading stood on it the way I was standing on it. He then went on to be so condescending and shame me. Instead of telling me what to do, he asked me questions with a rude, sarcastic tone like 'what? do you think you're going to get what you want standing like that?' Etc. He could've told me to place my feet in a certain way, or he could've been a bit kinder about it especially considering that i didnt even ask for his help. He spoke to me in the rudest way I'd ever been spoken to. He then went on to tell me that I was wasting time, rolling his eyes at me. I stood off the foot lab for the calibration, as per his demand. As I was stood there, he raised his voice at me telling me 'no, no don't stand on it!'. I wasn't going to, I wasn't moving. He tried to make me feel like I was incapable and stupid. He then told me to stand on it and left me alone. And it still didn't work, even after his lecturing, so I was shamed for nothing. I was appalled. As someone who works in a similar industry, I could never imagine speaking to someone in such a way. I left the store teary eyed.

I never write reviews, but this was so shocking I knew I had to. Absolutely disgusted, most definitely will not be...

Went in for some hiking boots. Came out with the most comfortable pair I’ve ever put on my feet thanks to Davide. I have always had issues finding shoes that fit the shape of my feet. I told him how nicely my trainers fit, he took one look, and he knew exactly what to do.

We tried on three different brands of shoe, comparing the insoles against my feet to demonstrate different toe box shapes and trying to find a good middle ground between my differently-sized feet. Now I’ve got a pair of boots that are by far the most comfortable pair I’ve ever worn. He also gave me advice for breaking them in to make sure they mold to my feet correctly, and how to care for them so they’ll last. He gave me time to walk around and gave me some tips for how to stand on their little bridge to find pressure points in my toes. I found some uncomfortable points so we tried a different shoe based on my feedback, repeated, and found a better shoe. He was patient with me and listened to my feedback. Now I have a pair of boots where my fourth toe on each foot isn’t cramped but also my feet aren’t swimming around in the shoe. Ace.

I will happily go back, but with any luck I won’t need to buy any hiking...

I wanted to try on a backpack, but when I looked around, not a single staff member offered to help me or asked if I needed assistance. The store was not busy at all! Meanwhile, a white female customer right next to me received attentive and enthusiastic service from a staff member.

I approached a staff member wearing glasses, and he turned out to be the most impatient and disrespectful employee I have ever encountered. He answered my question with clear impatience and immediately walked away. I had to call him back several times because I wasn’t familiar with the product. When I asked him to help adjust the backpack straps, he rudely told me to adjust them myself, speaking in a commanding tone and even making an annoyed “tsk” sound.

As a customer buying a hiking backpack for the first time, I felt deeply insulted, especially since I had already been trying hard to explain my questions. Later, as I continued browsing, I noticed that the staff would proactively approach and assist white customers — yet not once did anyone ask if I needed help. This was the worst shopping experience I have ever...