So my push bike went into the shop again,
after nearly 4 weeks comes back with a big chip on the paint work, I know this is not me as I always look after my stuff and with the bad weather comming i know it will start to rust it.
Dude, he might deny all knowledge, but play to your strengths.
Emphasise a few key points during your conversation:
a) acknowledge up front there is no proof either way - in other words, don’t accuse him - phrase it nicely
b) if you got a good bike and you know your stuff, drop some knowledge into the preamble - let him know he’s not dealing with someone who is ignorant of his trade. If you got a carp bike, mention researching costs or summat to let him know you ain’t a dummy.
c) use the preamble to either remind him of a previous purchase or better still, hint at future purchases - any business person worth their salt will recognise those signs and should at least offer a gesture of good will, even if not meeting the full cost (knowing it probably was them, if you approach them reasonably with the situation).
If they blow you off (no jokes please :D) then you just learned a cheapish lesson about that shop and you can still fall back to one of your other options - touch it up yourself. Why not email the manufacturer and ask if you can buy a tester pot or summat from them - sometimes they like stories like that and send you a freebie - doesn’t hurt to ask 
4 weeks in the shop for an effing cycle? Was that from your choice, did they have to source obscure parts or are they just cwap at running their store.
The last cycle I took in to a shop (my sons) needed a new gear select mechanism long out of production, yet they sourced one fitted it and did a full strip/grease job in about 4 days. (Harry Perry Cycles, Woolwich, SE18).
You always know when you’ve found a good shop - was in Reading one day, saw a great bike at an awesome price and asked if they had it in stock - they said “pop to the cafe for a coffee and it’ll be built by the time you get back”
Sure enough - 25 minutes later, they had it done to perfection and still the cheapest price that I saw that bike for.
It wasn’t PTA in Croydon was it … again? :laugh:
I told him next year I’m looking to spend about £1.5K on a bike, and I assue you it will not be with him.
lol no.
I would complain to the shop.
I had the same happen to my Kona Cinder Cone, I was gutted.
I knew it wasnt me. Worst still I worked for Halfords at the time and the bike hut specialist did the full service and added a few bits, so if was definately him! gutted.
Spoke to my manager, managed to code 52 another kona (stolen) at £790, and i got a completely new frame, the bike hut dude touched up the frame and sold it for £100 less as stock damaged, although I couldn’t see the damage as it was Kona touch up paint!!! 
I would at least try and touch it up! :hehe:
Like most things that we scratch and get get damaged, at first we are gutted and want blood, but 2 months later we hardly notice the mark and move on with our lives 
mine is a kona as well, where can I get this paint you talk of
and there I was thinking it was some silly old raleigh cycle, complete with basket wondering why all the drama over a bit of paint.
whats the paint code if you know it? or eact model of bike. Ill see if I can get hold of any. When I used to work there (5years ago) we had a few in the back. Ill ask my mate though. PM if you dont want to fully advertise your bike. 