Buying clothes at supermarkets?

[LostAcre]

Are clothes aisles open in your local supermarkets (England)?

I’ve just been to my local Tesco, wanted to get some pants for DC3 while I was there, but the clothes section was completely blocked off.
It’s in the upstairs bit, this only has clothes and the cafe in it. The downstairs non-essential aisles (i.e. toys, books, DVDs) were all open.

So I’m wondering if this is a nationwide thing, or just down to the layout in this particular shop?

Full access to the upstairs of Asda yesterday. As well as the aisles of Christmas decorations, toys, homeware and the fireworks counter.b

I thought we weren't doing what Wales did

If a shops open you can buy whats in it.

Did you ask.

Blocking off clothes is stupid. Its getting cold ajd we are needing to purchase more stuff to layer up our kids in their freezing classrooms

The regulations say if the floor only contains non essentials it has to be shut off, the rule had department stores/M&S in mind but very large supermarkets are included. Ours is all one level and open. Interestingly when asked the government minister said if a customer needed an item from a closed section, the example was a kettle because theirs had broken, supermarkets can sell them from closed sections.

@movingonup20

The regulations say if the floor only contains non essentials it has to be shut off, the rule had department stores/M&S in mind but very large supermarkets are included. Ours is all one level and open. Interestingly when asked the government minister said if a customer needed an item from a closed section, the example was a kettle because theirs had broken, supermarkets can sell them from closed sections.

Which section of the legislation is this, because I can't see it?

Last time, if shops sold a mix of essential and non essential goods, you could buy everything in the shop, because there wasn't a definition of what is and isn't essential.

I'm now wondering about our local Asda, which has clothes, electrical, but also toiletries and books on the basement floor, which is very irritating if you want to buy something like shampoo, because it took ages to get up and down due to massive glacial speed escalator or steps hidden away that I could never find.

Agree that children's clothes especially are essential. Lots of people will need winter clothes for children who have grown since they last needed them.

@movingonup20

The regulations say if the floor only contains non essentials it has to be shut off, the rule had department stores/M&S in mind but very large supermarkets are included. Ours is all one level and open. Interestingly when asked the government minister said if a customer needed an item from a closed section, the example was a kettle because theirs had broken, supermarkets can sell them from closed sections.

That might explain it. Good to hear that it’s not a nationwide no selling clothes in supermarkets thing.