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Title [La Porchetta, Upper Street] Restaurant tells 'humiliated' new mum to breastfeed in back room Author Material Article External document A new mum was left “humiliated and ashamed” after being asked to breastfeed in the back room of a fancy Upper Street restaurant.
Carla Francome was in the middle of feeding six-month-old Archie on a quiet Saturday lunchtime when she was told she would have to “cover up” or leave the main part of Italian restaurant La Porchetta.
The Archway mum, who was reduced to tears, said she was left feeling anxious about breastfeeding in public for weeks afterwards.
“I was absolutely horrified,” said Carla, 37. “I was facing a wall and there was only one other family in the restaurant. All the waiting staff were men and I was made to feel like I was doing something wrong, as if I had exposed myself.”
Carla and a friend were told the rules became restaurant policy after a man once complained about a woman breast-
feeding in the restaurant. La Porchetta advertises itself as an “informal, family-owned chain”. It also has restaurants in Camden, Holborn, Finsbury Park and Clerkenwell.
A spokeswoman for the chain “apologised unreservedly” for the incident. She added: “I am really disappointed, it is absolutely not our policy. It is very unfortunate.
“We can only apologise to this lady. The manager will be disciplined.”
Women are legally allowed to breastfeed anywhere but Carla, who used to work in television, said many new mums feel awkward doing so at first.
“Really it’s just the same as eating an apple,” Carla said. “If you can’t do it in Islington, with its militant breastfeeding mums, where can you do it?”
Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair attracted controversy in 2014 when a woman was asked to cover up. Ukip leader Nigel Farage was widely criticised following the incident for suggesting women should “sit in a corner” when the feed.
Carla tried to feed Archie on a sofa downstairs at the restaurant before moving to another café.
“I felt like I never wanted to breastfeed in public again,” she said.
“The only way this is going to get better is if people get used to doing it all the time.” Notes Islington Tribune filed at A-Z periodicals (Islington Local History Centre) Audio
Keywords Geographical keyword Persons keyword
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