Panic buying...

[mjr]

[...] I then went to Wilko big queue there, again didn't take that long to get to the front but when I did, I had to tell the lady that 3 people had left and she hadn't let me in? [...]

That's a bit impatient of you. At Wilko here, there's a delay because they're restricting the number of baskets to keep track of who's in that warren of a store and when one customer leaves the checkout, there's a pause while their basket is collected, cleaned and put out for the next customer.

Standing in the rain!
The end of the world is nigh!
Would I be right in thinking your a dry weather cyclist?

Nice try. No, I have a rain cape. No, it's not the end of the world, but I feel it's blooming disrespectful to customers to make them use their rain jackets while the bleeding disused trolleys get to wait indoors.

@mjr @phthey have visited the ones with 10 minute queues but due to lack of patience they thought they had waited for considerably longer!!!

10 minute queues would probably have been OK. The problem was that there were still 70 minute queues at "quiet" times two weeks after lockdown started. (I'd left my GPS tracker running and in my pocket and it was autopaused in the queue.) That's why I tried click+collect instead, but that's messed-up too. Not that you'll care about any of this, blinded by love for the ghost of Jack Cohen.

 

[classic33]

@mjr, The buildings have a limit on the number of people who can actually be inside at any given time. This includes staff who will be doing their best to keep to the two metre rule, on the shop floor and in the warehouse.

You may not appreciate it, but they are only following the rules they've been given.

As regards your earlier moan about short-dated foods in home deliveries. Milk: furthest/longest dated seen was only until the 5th May.
Bread: 7th May.

The longer dated having been picked for deliveries.

 

[mjr]

@mjr, The buildings have a limit on the number of people who can actually be inside at any given time. This includes staff who will be doing their best to keep to the two metre rule, on the shop floor and in the warehouse.

You may not appreciate it, but they are only following the rules they've been given.

Which sounds reasonable except for two small problems:

1. Those are rules and limits they've given themselves, aren't they? The government guidance only gives regulated entry and queuing as an example of how to maintain safety, not things that must be done. At least one chain is not regulating entry as such.

2. the entrance hall isn't really in the building, is it? They're open at the sides and often chilly but at least they're dry.

I'll let "staff who will be doing their best to keep to the two metre rule" slide except to say only most I saw were great - pretty much like the population in general.

 

[classic33]

Which sounds reasonable except for two small problems:

1. Those are rules and limits they've given themselves, aren't they? The government guidance only gives regulated entry and queuing as an example of how to maintain safety, not things that must be done. At least one chain is not regulating entry as such.

2. the entrance hall isn't really in the building, is it? They're open at the sides and often chilly but at least they're dry.

I'll let "staff who will be doing their best to keep to the two metre rule" slide except to say only most I saw were great - pretty much like the population in general.

Local council have been checking that shops are sticking to the limits, and the restrictions, in place. Inspectors are making spot checks, and if needs be, they order the doors shut until the numbers go down.

The doorway's are included in the shop size, if enclosed. Trolleys are there so they can keep an eye on the number in store. This assumes that everyone returns the trolley they used, but is backed up by those people collecting and returning trolleys to this area. Makes cleaning them easier as well, inside, in sight of staff.

 

[Jenkins]

So you let more people into the shops and risk complaints about not being able to keep the 2 metre distance due to the number of people or you have fewer people inside and have complaints about the amount of time queueing. They can't win either way.

 

[classic33]

So you let more people into the shops and risk complaints about not being able to keep the 2 metre distance due to the number of people or you have fewer people inside and have complaints about the amount of time queueing. They can't win either way.

Or they let more people than allowed in, and end up being fined, possibly even shut.

Breach of local health regulations, which were brought in as a response to all this. They get shut, even for the one day/part day and queues will get longer elsewhere. As will the time spent queueing.

 

[Notafettler]

I'll let "staff who will be doing their best to keep to the two metre rule" slide except to say only most I saw were great - pretty much like the population in general.

The population in general are great but alas there is a very loud but small minority of whiners, who would find fault no matters what. I am not hungry, not even slightly. I am actually think of becoming obsessive because I have nothing else to do!!!

 

[mjr]

The population in general are great but alas there is a very loud but small minority of whiners, who would find fault no matters what. I am not hungry, not even slightly. I am actually think of becoming obsessive because I have nothing else to do!!!

Whereas some of us are still working keeping essential services running and all the time it takes to shop is annoying and the extra time due to mismanagement and the Great British farked-up pastime of gold-plating rules is really irritating. And as I've said before: if I find it difficult, some of my village will not be coping.

 

[Notafettler]

Whereas some of us are still working keeping essential services running and all the time it takes to shop is annoying and the extra time due to mismanagement and the Great British farked-up pastime of gold-plating rules is really irritating. And as I've said before: if I find it difficult, some of my village will not be coping.

With what won't they be coping with? Waiting in queues?
Can't find another than moaning about queues?
In fact just moaning in general. Most see your so called gold plating rules as nothing of the sort, just a necessary requirement for the safety of all.

 

[NorthernDave]

Whereas some of us are still working keeping essential services running and all the time it takes to shop is annoying and the extra time due to mismanagement and the Great British farked-up pastime of gold-plating rules is really irritating. And as I've said before: if I find it difficult, some of my village will not be coping.

I agree - I'm working from home, full time Monday to Friday.
This means the only time I can shop is from 5:30pm onwards. I'm not a "key worker" so it's back of the queue and choose from what there is left.
I'm coping but it's not easy and I can well understand how people are struggling.

On a related note, Tesco announced yesterday that they are now limiting all online shoppers to one delivery a week - it beggars belief but some people were apparently having 3 or 4 deliveries a week!

 

[classic33]

I agree - I'm working from home, full time Monday to Friday.
This means the only time I can shop is from 5:30pm onwards. I'm not a "key worker" so it's back of the queue and choose from what there is left.
I'm coping but it's not easy and I can well understand how people are struggling.

On a related note, Tesco announced yesterday that they are now limiting all online shoppers to one delivery a week - it beggars belief but some people were apparently having 3 or 4 deliveries a week!

Or even two a day. Albeit from different supermarket's, as one neighbour has been doing.

 

[classic33]

Whereas some of us are still working keeping essential services running and all the time it takes to shop is annoying and the extra time due to mismanagement and the Great British farked-up pastime of gold-plating rules is really irritating. And as I've said before: if I find it difficult, some of my village will not be coping.

I've seen bus drivers(those folk who get those who don't drive, into work) paramedics queueing to get their shopping. Never heard one of them moan about having to wait.

Me, and many others let them in front of us in the queue. For some reason they're not seen as essential staff.

 

[ColinJ]

Or even two a day. Albeit from different supermarket's, as one neighbour has been doing.

I spoke to my sister yesterday. She said that someone she knows is 'bored' with the lock down so is going shopping several times every day!

Apart from the obvious increased virus-spreading risk, how sad is that... A life so empty that shopping is the only way to fill the time! Why not learn a foreign language, or how to play a musical instrument? Read the 100 greatest novels, or write something yourself? Write some mobile apps, and if you don't know how, take an online programming course? Do an OU degree? Learn to draw/paint/sculpt? And so on..

I could keep myself amused for hours just planning what I am going to do, and then there could be months, or even (hopefully not!) years actually doing those things.

 

[classic33]

I spoke to my sister yesterday. She said that someone she knows is 'bored' with the lock down so is going shopping several times every day!

Apart from the obvious increased virus-spreading risk, how sad is that... A life so empty that shopping is the only way to fill the time! Why not learn a foreign language, or how to play a musical instrument? Read the 100 greatest novels, or write something yourself? Write some mobile apps, and if you don't know how, take an online programming course? Do an OU degree? Learn to draw/paint/sculpt? And so on..

I could keep myself amused for hours just planning what I am going to do, and then there could be months, or even (hopefully not!) years actually doing those things.

Would the "Lancastrian Lingo" count as a foreign language?

Ready for the next trip over to Manchester.

 

[mjr]

I've seen bus drivers(those folk who get those who don't drive, into work) paramedics queueing to get their shopping. Never heard one of them moan about having to wait.

Not bus drivers, but I've heard taxi drivers grumble about the situation.

The multiple deliveries thing doesn't surprise me. There seem to be a lot of vans out here in the fields but they seem to stop at the same houses often. But many of them are probably vulnerable (no farker else seems able to get deliveries here) possibly infected and I doubt disciplined shopping list creation is their top priority just now. So I've mixed feelings about restricting their food supply. We'll see if covid19 mutual aid appeals increase.