Garden centres are more essential than off-licences during lockdown

[Fev11]

Supermarkets already sell alcohol so why on earth are off licences listed as ‘essential’ during lockdown?

Plants and flowers, whether growing in a garden or on a windowsill or balcony have long been recognised as beneficial to mental health. Unlike off-licences, Garden centres could easily be adapted to be fully outdoor spaces.

My heart goes out to the growers who are having to throw out all their stock, who unlike many businesses who will still have their stock to sell when this is all over.

I think garden centres/nurseries are more essential during lockdown than off licences.

AIBU?

YABU. Garden centres are not essential. Neither are off-licenses; they shouldn’t be open either, but that’s a separate issue.

Neither are open in NZ, your lockdown rules are very lax.

There was a thread about this the other day. It is an absolutely terrible idea to limit access to a substance that lots of people are chemically dependent on, at a time when we need to put as little strain on the NHS as possible. Policy wise it makes no sense at all.

It also completely fails to take into account that a lot of off licences double up as small food shops too. I've been getting bread and milk top ups from ours because I prefer to go there rather than brave the supermarket, and unlike a lot of people I actually have a choice of shops within walking distance. Ours also sells electricity top ups.

DIY stores are not open either - how are they essential?

The small independent plant nursery near me has turned its little shop (normally for plant food, pot etc.) into a food shop. They've got fresh bread from a local bakery, milk and loads of store cupboard type bits, they're also doing free delivery. You can still buy plants but they've basically saved themselves from going bust, while also providing food deliveries to vulnerable people who can't get a supermarket slot, I think it's a brilliant idea.

Why does it have to be one or the other? Just open the bloody garden centres again. The thought of planting my garden was one of the few things to look forward to. It would be the easiest thing in the world at ours to just open the outdoor section and only take card payments. This feels like another puritanical, killjoy nonsense just in case life stops being unalloyed misery.

DIY stores are not open either - how are they essential?

They are open. I dunno. Taps break... Door break... Stuff breaks and lots of it needs immediate repairs. Some, especially the big one, closed physical shops for safety though.

My local Bargain Booze closes its another 2.5 mile walk to the next nearest place to top up gas and electric

I thought DIY stores were open.

My local garden centre is doing deliveries. It’s worse than getting a Tesco slot. He’s rushed off his feet.

The local garden centre I go to is outside, on top of a hill in open countryside. I can’t say I’ve ever been there and been within 2 meters of anyone else... I’m a natural people avoider. There’s no-reason for outside nurseries to close as long as people are sensible. There’s considerably less risk than going to Tesco!

I’m gutted that it’s closed and worried that it won’t be able to re-open. Sad as it sounds it’s a big part of my life.

And l think they are essential too. It’s gets you out in the fresh air and is hugely beneficial for mental health.

I’m excited by my delivery coming even though it’s a day late!

DIY shops are open and essential retailers. People need to be able to buy stuff for home repairs.

Gardening is a choice, a hobby, a privilege, alcohol is a necessity.

People who see alcohol as a necessity have a problem.

Alcohol is not a necessity. I don’t drink at all,

I agree OP. We are keen gardeners and allotmenters and the allotment is the only thing keeping dh and ds sane. It's healthy, good for physical and mental exercise, we will be probably 50% self sufficient if not more on fruit and veg come summer and will provide fresh veg for my vulnerable family as well.

Lots of people have started to ask me about seeds and kit and equipment and with garden centres closed it's difficult to source anything which is a bloody shame.

If they can enforce social distancing and 1 in, 1 out at supermarkets I am sure it could be done at garden centres. Our favourite one is huge, huge big polytunnels they could allow the public into to increase shop floor space. Reckon it's twice the fooor size even normally of the local tescos and morrisons.

And they aren't like clothes shops that could potentially open up again in a few weeks with the same stock. I bought a dozen tomato and chilli plants before everything was closed and they are already going leggy and need repotting, not to mention all the hundreds of thousands of bedding plants and flowers etc.

If it was a complete lockdown I could understand it but the construction industry, manufacturing and other non essential businesses are still trading as normal. And stores like B and M, Wilkos etc are still open and you can still buy non essentials such as diy stuff etc.

It just seems disproportionate to shut one type of shop and not another. Supermarkets and pharmacies need to stay open. But the others should have been given the option to close down for a day ir 2, implement the same rules as supermarkets with regards to social distancing and then reopen.

I am hoping that in 2 weeks time things do start to go back to normal. This semi shutdown is worse than a full lockdown imo.

Erm I think that's rather the point madisonavenue...

I don’t garden, I do drink.

My local off licence also doubles up as a chicken shop, electricity top up point, they sell food basics and also have a cash machine!

I understand what you mean, but it really isn't essential. Our local Lidl is selling compost, seeds, plants and gardening tools, as well as fake turf, pots, ornaments etc. It is one thing going to the supermarket to do your shopping and picking these things up, but going to a garden centre is definitely an unnecessary journey. Take into account also the staff, if it is anything like my local garden centre there are very few staff, so if one or two were isolating or shielding there just would not be the staff to do it. They wouldn't have the time or resources to take on more staff either.

Most off-licences are corner shops they don't just serve alcoholics to pretend otherwise in thread after thread is silly

The arguments on MN go 'round and 'round, 'round and 'round, 'round and 'round. The arguments on MN go 'round and 'round, till we all get bored. and posters leave the thread because it has been explained number of times that alcoholics physically need alcohol and it's getting bit boring

My local garden centre is wonderful, and much missed at the moment. In addition to all the plants it has fresh food (cook range of meals), dried food (crackers, jams, honey, pate), soaps, alcohol, and a great range of kids games etc. I completely understand the need to limit how often we go out, but they could be considered essential by some. I wonder if the range of cook products would be good for those struggling with cooking for whatever reason. I'm not sure how well stocked supermarkets are for that kind of thing.

DIY stores are not open either - how are they essential?

Yes they are, and they certainly are essential. What if your toilet breaks, for example? Where is the plumber supposed to get the parts from if all the shops are closed?

Back to the OP - I think both are equally important, really. Our local garden centre is a tiny independent and is still open - they're just doing deliveries only. They seem to be doing pretty well out of it, delivering plants, seeds and compost to people's homes for a nominal fee. And our local off-license also sells basic food and is still open for business as usual.

I am surprised more provision hasn't been made for sales of food plants and related needs. Would've thought it made a great deal of sense to encourage people growing food where possible, especially seasoned gardeners who already know how to do it. I only have blackcurrants and a fruit tree in my garden, so not exactly a smallholding, but still feeling glad of them in the current circumstances!

I think it’s the ‘touching’ wee Doris trying out the garden chairs, that someone else then sits on it, touching displays etc. That’s one thing that would put me off.

I wondered if part of the decision to let off-licences open was to take a bit of pressure of the supermarkets

Neither are open in NZ, your lockdown rules are very lax

Erm the entire point of this thread is that garden centres are NOT open! But they are in some areas of Germany.

And off licences are often mini-grocery stores, they don't just sell alcohol.