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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Reporting a shop and its customers...

180 replies

ripples101 · 02/08/2020 18:46

It is about Covid-19, so I was unsure whether to post here or on the Health/Coronavirus board. But I do want to know if I'm being unreasonable or not.

For the record, I live in Greater Manchester, which is now on local lockdown. This is especially relevant to this thread, especially so as the village I live in has been identified as the place/source which has caused a rise in Covid cases throughout the entire borough.

So today I was going to my local supermarket, walking through the village, and a new shop was having it's "grand opening". The shop itself is tiny - typical of a small village/town high street. Not a chain. Just an independent shop. Outside the shop were two tables with complimentary drinks and nibbles.

As i walked past, there were only a couple of people outside the shop, but I looked inside the shop and it was packed (for a shop of its size) - around 10-15 people inside. Not one person inside the shop was wearing a face mask.

On my way back from the supermarket (about 20 minutes later), outside the shop was now packed. Blocking the entire footpath, so I walked into the road to get past. Looked in the shop and it was also full of people. Not one person, outside or inside the shop were wearing face masks.

When I got home I decided to phone 101, to report this. That is my first AIBU. Was I unreasonable to do this?

The person I spoke to from 101 told me that the Police will do nothing. He said that I (me) should go to into the shop itself and confront the management and the shops customers. He said if I'm not happy with the response I get from the management and customers, I can then contact my local council to see if they will deal with it.

He did put me through to another Police officer, and they also confirmed that the Police wouldn't do anything, and that it was my responsibility to talk to the management/customers.

This is my second AIBU. AIBU to think this is unacceptable for the Police to ask me to do this - to confront the shop and its customers myself?

Like I said at the start of this post, this happened in a town that has been identified as being the source of a Covid spread throughout an entire borough, which is one of the causes that has resulted in Greater Manchester (and other areas in the North) now being on lockdown.

OP posts:
BakedCam · 02/08/2020 18:50

Greater Manchester and other areas of the North are not on local lockdown.

They are on enhanced restrictions around mixing households to reduce the number of infections and transmissions.

Reporting the shop and its customers? What for?

EsmereldaMargaretNoteSpelling · 02/08/2020 18:51

I think your next step is to call the council as was suggested. Do not 'confront' anybody, the police were absolutely wrong to have suggested that if they did use the word confront - did they rather suggest you 'talk' to the shop owner?

dementedpixie · 02/08/2020 18:54

@BakedCam I would imagine she reported them for not wearing masks or social distancing in a small shop. Indoor mixing of different families is how covid spreads to others

BakedCam · 02/08/2020 18:58

Then she is wrong to report for not wearing of masks. I am not surprised the police didn't entertain the complaint.

There is the small matter of exemptions. Nobody viewing from the outside could possibly be considered a reasonable witness to 10/15 people not wearing a mask. OP is BVU in this instance.

Original poster
ripples101 · 02/08/2020 19:00

They did use the word confront. They probably did mean just talk to the shop owner. They also said that I should confront (talk to) not only the shop owner/management, but the customers as well.

BakedCam - ok, enhanced restrictions. What are those enhanced restrictions? And what are the current guidelines on customers wearing face masks in shops?

No customer was wearing a face mask. That is the reason why I reported it.

OP posts:
Hairthrowaway · 02/08/2020 19:01

COVID or not, the police still have life threatening emergencies to attend to and serious crimes to investigate, so they would never have come out for this. My local force specifically said not to report people leaving their house more than once or neighbours having people over etc (during full lockdown) so I doubt they’d entertain a claim for people not social distancing or wearing masks. Particularly as you weren’t inside so not a good witness to judge

BendingSpoons · 02/08/2020 19:05

They were basically having a party in an area where people should be extra careful. YANBU to be annoyed and report it. This sort of thing will prolong enhanced restrictions. That is also poor advice from the police. If they had said 'we aren't able to do anything about it, we suggest you contact the council' that would be much better than suggesting you confront them!

Original poster
ripples101 · 02/08/2020 19:08

Bakedcam

The Police did mention the possibility of exemptions to wearing a face mask.

I responded by pointing out no one in the shop was wearing a face mask (it was easy to see from the outside that that was the case). I said that I find it highly unlikely that 100% of people in an enclosed space would all be exempt.

I realise that that isn't my call to make. But then is that a valid reason for the Police to not at least go and find out?

But that relates to my second AIBU - the Police saying to me that I should confront the shop owners and management.

OP posts:
CuppaZa · 02/08/2020 19:09

YANBU, nor are the police. They are overly stretched. The people in that shop are dickheads, and I doubt very much if all 10-15 inside shops, all those outside, plus the owners are exempt from wearing masks. Doesn’t seem to be much you can do, and if you dare bring it up on MN you’ll get a barrage of abuse. Prepare yourself op

BakedCam · 02/08/2020 19:11

@ripples101

They did use the word confront. They probably did mean just talk to the shop owner. They also said that I should confront (talk to) not only the shop owner/management, but the customers as well.

BakedCam - ok, enhanced restrictions. What are those enhanced restrictions? And what are the current guidelines on customers wearing face masks in shops?

No customer was wearing a face mask. That is the reason why I reported it.

You live in one of the areas and you're not aware of the restrictions brought in at midnight on Friday?

Social distancing is a guideline. Yes, we would like people to observe SD. Face coverings are mandatory on public transport and in shops. There are exemptions in place.

I'm not surprised the police sent you on your way. They can't do anything about people not social distancing just as much as they can't enforce hand washing.

Ilikewinter · 02/08/2020 19:13

Yes you was right to report them and I find the police response shocking, they didnt need to go out straight away but could have visited later or sent pcsos in. No way should you be told to challenge the store manager and a whole shop of customers, absolute madness to even suggest that!

Originalyellowbelly · 02/08/2020 19:13

What is the point of the government setting out rules and guidelines if no one is going to stick to them? They might as well save their breath and just let people do whatever they want, that seems to be happening anyway.

BakedCam · 02/08/2020 19:14

www.gmp.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/c19/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-social-distancing-rules-england/

Here is the list that should be considered before reporting people.

Shops can operate their own policy on whether they refuse entry.

Rosspoldarkssaddle · 02/08/2020 19:15

When people complain about enhanced measures, this is the reason why. What the hell is wrong with people? I bet these are the same idiots that complain when weddings, holidays and schools are cancelled or shut. They only have themselves to blame but it affects the rest of the community.

itsgettingweird · 02/08/2020 19:16

@BakedCam

Greater Manchester and other areas of the North are not on local lockdown.

They are on enhanced restrictions around mixing households to reduce the number of infections and transmissions.

Reporting the shop and its customers? What for?

Well I would suggest the exact restrictions you said in your second paragraph Grin

A shop packed with people and sharing food and no face masks isn't not mixing households and limiting transmission.

RedRumTheHorse · 02/08/2020 19:17

OP the problem was there were not more than 30 people having a party in the shop.

terracottapot · 02/08/2020 19:19

This is why the current face covering guidelines are a complete joke. Shops have been told that it isn't their responsibility to enforce it, and the police say that customers and passers-by should do something about it instead.

Like that's going to happen.

Original poster
ripples101 · 02/08/2020 19:21

BakedCam

I am totally aware of the restrictions that were brought in.

I'm sorry that using the term "local lockdown" has resulted in you being pedantic, or just semantic. But you've jumped the gun to say that I'm not aware of what the restrictions are.

It's because I am aware of what the restrictions are that caused me to report it. You said it yourself - face masks are mandatory in shops. No one (10-15 people) in that shop (small shop) was wearing a face mask.

I don't know if all of them were exempt. Neither do you. What I think is folly however is to just assume that anyone / everyone who doesn't wear a face mask is exempt.

OP posts:
BakedCam · 02/08/2020 19:21

God knows how many reports the police must receive about shops being 'packed' with people.

BakedCam · 02/08/2020 19:24

Face coverings are mandatory in shops, OP. Not masks.

Were you standing outside counting how many people were in the shop?

Report to the council if you're that concerned. I think it is very unreasonable of you to expect the police to jump to it and attend at your say so.

It really is none of your business.

SockYarn · 02/08/2020 19:24

Why are you asking other people to fill you in on the local restrictions in YOUR area? How the hell would we know? I could tell you the rules in Scotland, but that would be entirely irrelevant.

But even without knowing what the rules actually are, you took your role as self-appointed Covid police so seriously that you logged it with 101? And unsurprisingly, they told you in the nicest way possible to get lost.

I suggest a hobby. Reading up on the local restrictions in your area might be a start. Or crochet.

Viviennemary · 02/08/2020 19:30

They were all probably testing each other's eyesight to see if they could eat then drive. Who cares about what they do. Nobody. Sounds like all the guidelines are optional if there are no consequences,

ceeveebee · 02/08/2020 19:31

If a shop isn’t COVID secure then it can be closed down by the HSE. Regardless of whether the customers are exempt from face coverings, they should be restricted numbers in the shop. You can report to the HSE

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb9703de90e07082fa57ce0/working-safely-during-covid-19-shops-310720.pdf

And for those of you telling OP to mind own business, the more people that flout the guidelines, the longer our local restrictions will go on for and the lower the likelihood of schools returning in full. R

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