Tim Dale, the managing agent of Priceys West Busselton shopping centre, said the decision had been made to ban them in the interests of customers’ wellbeing.

“The decision to disallow the use of motorised ‘gophers’ in the West Busselton shopping centre has been made on safety grounds,” he said.

“Recent history has been that these vehicles have had trouble turning in confined spaces and have collided with various structures within the centre and indeed with other shoppers.

“All tenants have offered to assist the gopher drivers in their shopping pursuits and we are providing parking space as close as possible to the entries to reduce the distances these mostly ambulant drivers need to traverse on foot.

“The policy does not apply to motorised wheelchairs or similar apparatus required by disabled patrons,” he said.

Gopher owner Peter Taylor, 78, was very disappointed with the decision.

“I think it’s disgraceful and discrimination against gopher users,” he said.

“I have been coming to Priceys for two and a half years on my gopher every morning to get the paper, a scratchy, or whatever else I need and have never had a problem.

“I make sure to travel on the slowest speed and I have never had any incidents or anyone complaints.”

And while Peter is able to walk short distances he said it was not by choice that he used a gopher.

“It’s not like I want to be using one – I would rather walk to the shops,” he said.

“How far I am able to walk depends on the day really. I suffer from angina and have had a heart attack and a couple of aneurisms, which makes it difficult.

“Some people can’t get out of their scooter – they’ve stopped access to the shops for invalids.

“I also make regular visits to the chemist, because my wife is very sick – if she came to the shops she couldn’t even walk to the newsstand.

“I was told if I want to shop at say IGA I can wait outside and a staff member will do my shopping and bring it out to me.

“Well what happens if I like to pick my own fresh vegies?”

It appears the use of gophers in shopping areas is a grey area.

A spokesperson for the shire said there was no legislation or law about using gophers in private buildings including shopping centres.

Officer-in-charge at Busselton Police Station Sergeant Stuart Gerreyn said the use of gophers in shopping areas was not their jurisdiction.

“It’s not a police issue, it’s up to centre management to control what happens in their building,” he said.

“We only get involved if there’s an arrest.”