COVID - general discussion - Temp Locked

Not only for the customers but for the long suffering staff as well. It is obviously important that supermarkets remain open but I do question those shops where food is only a small percentage of their assortment? Why are shops like the Range open selling their full assortment which just encourages those that don't care to browse? At this time of year I am not sure I see the point for garden centres being open either? I have not been in a supermarket for a month or two so I don't know what the current practise is?

David 

now children who do not have access to a laptop/Internet at home are being classed as "vulnerable" and may attend school. 

I must have missed that one.

It was on the news EasyT. 

Oh well expect more announcements, lockdown tightening. 

The "incident" I mentioned, groups wandering round at a local supermarket, occurred next to our only large hospital!

Thanks Brue I don't watch TV but have just found it on gov site

those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home (for example due to a lack of devices or quiet space to study)

It’s called freedom of choice

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"Oh well expect more announcements, lockdown tightening."

Or maybe not .... most won't be able to do this without driving a few miles from home I bet? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-55587460

Most of our supermarkets are still monitoring and restricting numbers.  Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons, and M&S have staff at the doors, Aldi have a traffic light system.  Our local Lidl is quite small and not too busy at present, but they do not have anyone at the door.

There were  quite long queues before Christmas, much quieter now and at all staff and at least 95% of customers are wearing masks.

Mainly only one of us will go in, but sometimes I also need to go in to decide on something.  OH said she did not see many couples with children, but a few Mums with children.  Many nurseries  up here are also closed, so if Dad is working they would have no choice.

DD works from home and SIL is a teacher so they have been allowed a full time essential worker nursery place for Callum, but only till she goes on maternity leave at the end of this month.

I went into our food only M&S this morning rather than the farm shop, as I virtually pass it on my way to local estate for the dogs off lead run. Farm shop is opposite direction.

As usual they count you in and out and I had seen a queue before Christmas. They clean the baskets and have the stuff for you to do your own trolley, so I feel as safe as I can be. Also today signed up to scan as you go, less handling of items, used for years in other supermarkets but great now! Only down side I left my bananas on the scales after weighing them to pay 🙁.

I collected a waterproof coat ordered on 5 December from local saddlery yesterday. They are open for essential horse items food and bedding other items can be ordered online apparently and collected. No trying on but I can return until end of February, possibly extended if lockdown doesn't lift. I was delighted to see the whole shop floor cordoned off saying they were not allowed to offer non essential items, but coal and logs were on the essential side. I was delighted to see this and staff said it was to save their jobs in case they were caught trading outside the guidelines. It's not part of a chain, probably make a decent profit but if they can do it why cant the big shops. If I wanted to be cynical I'd question how many shops are selling long shelf life food items so they can open with impunity 🤔

Our John Lewis does click and collect but no one enters the store from what I've seen as I've walked that way.

I was surprised when the November restrictions started that our in town M&S are selling clothing from the ground floor, same floor as food 😉, they've moved the collection point downstairs and some clothing has been swapped from upstairs. In some ways I don't blame them as Tesco's and Sainsbury's were doing it from the start.

We can only do our best to follow guidance and limit our outings to try to remain safe.

Edit I've not visited large supermarkets since the first lockdown as friends shopped for us until we managed to secure regular deliveries.

Re garden centres it's a difficult one, we tend to use smaller nursery type places but some are offering a retail experience that offers a "trip" out for some. We do that ourselves in normal times but at present I'm ordering on line and my garden vouchers will have to wait till later.

Keen gardeners are planning ahead and stocking up just now. 

As light relief I'll post these Larry cartoons..