A council-run community fridge will refuse entry to those who do not wear a face covering.
Woughton Community Fridge, run by Woughton Community Council, is a waste-reduction project that gives food that would otherwise go to landfill away for free.
Usually, visitors are encouraged to wear masks and submit their contact details for Track and Trace, something that has not been heavily enforced... until now.
Just like a number of supermarkets, including Sainsbury's and Morrisons, the Woughton Community Fridge will now make the use of face coverings mandatory, and contact details must be provided either by scanning the QR code on the NHS app, or by writing them out.
The organisers have put it bluntly, explaining "no mask, no food". They say this ruling is for the safety of volunteers and visitors, and to ensure that services can continue during the second wave.
According to Woughton Community Council, 40% of the fridges in Milton Keynes have seen staff members receive a positive test result.
The city has one of the highest infection rates in the South East, and last week it was reported that one in 27 people in MK have the virus.
Although Woughton Community Council recognises that this blanket ban may feel "harsh", a spokesperson adds that they "cannot continue with the widespread ignorance of the rules".
They continued: "So, to confirm, if you want to use the Community Fridge, you will distance, you will wear a mask, you will use Track and Trace. If you don't, we will not be able to help you and you will have a wasted journey."
Since the message was posted on social media, dozens of comments of criticism have rolled in - some calling out the council for allegedly being discriminatory.
One commenter said: "Whilst I understand the point you are trying to make, I think this is a real shame as those that are exempt by law, from wearing a face covering, are now being discriminated against."
Another added: "Not everyone has someone who can help them or go for them. As a parent of children who can't wear anything near their face without a mental breakdown I am deepen sadden you decided to discriminate against the disabled."
While other messages of support have been shared: "For the ten minutes it takes to collect the food, everyone can wear a mask."
Woughton Community Council has this morning (12/1) responded to the backlash with their justification for the decision, stating that they do not believe it is discrimination.
The response reads: "We understand that some people may feel that this is discrimination - we take a different view. There are things that EVERYONE has to do to stay safe - you cannot ride a motorbike without a helmet, you cannot weld metal without goggles, you cannot do the climbing wall without ropes. You cannot drive a car without a license and MOT. These are measures that are in place for the safety of participants AND the wider community. These are not optional or rules that are taken away for some people - they are there for everyone. They are absolute.
"The Equalities Act says that we have to take reasonable steps. We do. It is not a law that 'trumps' everything else. The Health and Safety at Work Act says we have to keep ourselves, our staff and members of the public who are accessing our services, as safe as possible. We undertake risk assessments and put in place steps to reduce the risk to what is reasonable. These are the steps we feel we need to take to enable the fridge to remain open.
"Face coverings are one of the safety measures that we have put in place, alongside sanitiser, track and trace and social distancing. It is expected that people who choose to access this service comply with the rules. They are there for the safety of everyone.
"We hope this explains and that people will feel able to continue to attend, wearing a suitable face covering. This may be a visor, mask, cloth covering - whatever works for you."
