A male regional daily journalist donned high heels at work for the day to research a feature for the newspaper.
Mark White sported the peep-toe heels around the offices of the Lancashire Evening Post, in Preston, to debate the relative merits and demerits of the shoes as a workplace garment.
Mark, 23, took up the challenge after reading the story of Nicola Thorp, the London receptionist sent home for refusing to wear heels at work.
Ms Thorp, 27, originally from Blackpool, claimed she was laughed at when she said it was discriminatory for her employer to make such a demand.
Mark, who writes for both the LEP and Blackpool daily The Gazette, said: “I can definitely sympathise with Nicola. After just eight hours of wearing four inch heels my toes ached although I’m sure the office enjoyed watching me totter around the office like a baby giraffe.
“Stairs became a huge challenge and day to day tasks were made more difficult, all down to my footwear. The only advantage was it made me much taller.
“I thought it was ludicrous that any company would force women to wear heels at work before this ‘experiment’ but after walking a mile in Nicola’s shoes it’s no wonder the story caused such outrage.
“It was my first and hopefully my last time in heels and I’ll definitely be sticking to my flats from now on.”
Great local twist on a national news story.
This is not the sort of article that shakes worlds but it is perfect local newspaper stuff – fun, engaging and a quirky read.
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If you listen very carefully, you can hear the furious tapping of keyboards up and down the country as the usual HTFP moaners queue up to denounce this.
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This man will go far at the BBC
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Furious tap, tap, tap….. why not, a bit of fun for readers and the rest of the office.
I haven’t seen the paper but I hope the subs chopped off Mark’s top half from that pic and ran the lower half as a teaser on the front.
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Don’tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don’tcha……
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Does he have to wear that tie?
I had to wear a tie for my first newspaper job.
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If you listen very carefully, you can hear User Generated Content’s keyboard furiously tapping somewhere in the country to launch a pre-emptive, and some may say premature, strike against the usual HTFP moaners denouncing this… or perhaps not.
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Facile but a bit of fun in a gloomy journo world.
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I’d say you were more likely to hear the furious tap tap tap of keyboards as reporters all over England do copycat pieces. It’ll do wonders for the larger-size ladies’ shoe trade, too!
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Will he be claiming for them on exes? That might make a more pertinent piece.
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These kind of stories used to be a regular fixture in the regional press. Good to see a quirky read
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On my first day at The Gazette in 1980 I was barred from the Lady Mayoress’s ‘at home’ in Lytham St Annes for being improperly dressed – skirt, blouse and (flat) sandals but no tights (or high heels, hat and gloves)
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But where are the tight hot pants? Great stuff.
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You’re so MoneySupermarket, Mark
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Having to cover the At Home. How awful! My deepest sympathies. What could you write about that?
What could you REALLY write about that?
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I am hetrosexual yet strangely aroused
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Meanwhile, at the magistrates’ court, Town Hall and police station……..
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Fantastic! Off to read this story right now!
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Toes in agony but it hurts so good…
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