After complaints about a staff member wearing a Palestine Badge, Hayes Garden World has confirmed it will not allow employees to wear political symbols at work. They will now be updating their dress code policy and ensuring that all employees are aware of the “expectations regarding the dress code requirements of the Company.”

This updating of dress code policy follows an incident earlier in March 2025, when Jewish customers visiting  Hayes Garden World, were very upset to see a staff member sporting a Palestinian flag badge on the lapel of his uniform. The company investigated the incident and “addressed the concerns with the individual”.

The customer commented “I was stunned. This was not a badge I was expecting to see in the heart of the genteel Lake District. And while I kept my feelings to myself, I was absolutely raging mad driving home to Manchester that this man could express his political/antisemitic views in a public store in such a blatant way with no regard for the feeling and sensitivity of visiting Jews or Israelis.”

The aggrieved customers contacted UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) assistance, who wrote to the managing director of Hayes Garden Centre, pointing out that  the display of a Palestine badge indicates support for the Palestinian cause, and conversely, opposition to the State of Israel.    It could also indicate support for Hamas’s actions on 7 October 2023 when over 1200 people, including babies, children and women were horrifically murdered, raped, mutilated and burnt, and when over 250 people were taken hostage.

Therefore it is inevitable that Jewish or Israeli customers would be intimidated by seeing a Palestine badge, apparently authorised by the company, and would consider that it is a hostile act towards themselves.

UKLFI also pointed out that due to the staff member wearing the badge, Hayes Garden World had created a hostile and offensive environment for its Jewish or Israeli customers and was likely to be in breach of Section 29 (3) of the Equality Act. This prevents organisations supplying goods or services to the public from harassing customers who have protected characteristics, such as Jews or Israelis, by creating a hostile and offensive atmosphere for them..

Hayes Garden World has been trading on the same site on Lake Road in Ambleside in the Lake District for over 200 years. It has expanded over the years from a nursery just selling plants to also selling garden furniture and barbecues, and offering a restaurant and barbecue classes.

Caroline Turner of UKLFI commented: “We are very pleased that Hayes Garden World has dealt decisively with this issue that so upset its Jewish customers.”