To think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator?

[LittleLapwing]

Half the shops covered in plastic. Can’t buy clothes, duvets, books, DVDs, tins but not tin openers.
All the Halloween and bonfire night stuff that’s just been stocked is behind a cordon. Presumably now destined for landfill.

Autumn half term after a shitty year and I can’t even do a few seasonal treats for the kids.

AIBU to think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator, and that his ridiculous game of Covid oneupmanship with Nicola and Boris needs to stop!?

@Mooseflake

It's exactly the same as the first lockdown - I don't understand why people don't actually remember this and suddenly it's all MDs fault!

Our local Tesco in April blocked off all of the aisles selling non-essential stuff ,clothes, toys etc.

Mine didn't, you could buy whatever you wanted as it made no difference whatsoever to the spread of "The Virus".

He obviously wants to ruin the local economy and get people to order from Amazon instead.

Our local Tesco in April blocked off all of the aisles selling non-essential stuff ,clothes, toys etc

Where was this? I'd not heard of this before. I did hear that Pets at Home were policing what people bought - and Boots banned people from the "non-essential" aisles.

I am a bit bemused at the notion that clothes are not essential. I said on another thread yesterday that kids grow, this is now half term week (assume it is in Wales too and that was why this weekend was chosen to begin the lockdown) so people may have time off work to finally go and get new things for their kids, and now they can't, so they'll have to go back to school wearing things that are too small for them. How does that help the virus not spread? Answer - it doesn't.

@CounsellorTroi

it's not just "frivolous shit" it's duvets, raincoats, umbrellas, socks, baby clothes, kettles, etc.

It’s not so long ago you wouldn’t have been able to buy any of this stuff in the supermarket anyway.

I know like, my Mum had a twin tub washing machine that she spent the whole of a Saturday morning stood next to doing load after load,

And me, I have the absolute audacity to have an automatic machine.

Godwin's! Do I win

No. My comment was in a very different context - ie you don't cater to the lowest common denominator and refuse to help people because you can't help everyone.

There are huge Amazon warehouses in Swansea and Cardiff, so I guess he's following the money

I know not ideal, but if people need a few cards card factory sell online, postage is £3, though free on cards if you spend £10.

• justchecking1 I don't understand the rage here.

The bottom line is we're not supposed to leave the house unless for essential reasons. If something is available on line then it's not essential to leave your house to get it, is it?

You can still have all the frivolous shit your heart desires, you just can't go out to buy it!

I'm not sure what the issue is? 

a) because there's no logic or scientific rationale behind it

b) it's not just "frivolous shit" it's duvets, raincoats, umbrellas, socks, baby clothes, kettles, etc. Yet real "frivolous shit" like wine, chocolate, lottery tickets and fags are freely available.

c) some people don't easily use the internet. Even for those that do, if you don't have amazon prime then it can take 4-5 days for something to be delivered. That's if you are at home all day and not, for example, a nurse working night shifts...*

A) Of course there's logic. The logic is "don't leave your house as far as possible, and the virus won't spread". It's not a case of "while I'm here, I may as well buy...", it's a case of not being in the shop in the first place. We had plenty of notice, we should have stocked up on a couple of weeks of long life food so we don't need to go out. Those who didn't have the money to get any stocks in probably won't be able to benefit from having a spare £20 to replace a kettle anyway. Even if a few people absolutely have to go out to the shops, the vast majority won't/shouldn't need to. Stopping selling non essential stuff will mean people don't just go to Tesco for an afternoon out.

B) Not much call for umbrellas, raincoats, hair dryers, wellies and all the other stuff mentioned if you're staying in your house. Just wait the 2 weeks or order online if you can't.

C) oh the horror of having to wait 4 days for something! I just can't get that worked up about that. It's a pandemic FFS, we need a bit of perspective.

The whole problem is people are far too focussed on worrying about what they can and can't do, and how to get around the rules, and why the rules shouldn't apply. No one is stopping to think about whether they should be doing these things or whether it's in the spirit of the message of lockdown

Some of the responses here are classic Mumsnet. "Who doesn't have spare bedding/a travel hairdryer/plenty of spare pairs of shoes for the children? Who hasn't already bought all the children's winter clothes by the end of the summer?" Total lack of understanding of other people's circumstances.*

These will have probably been the same ones shouting "just stay at home and watch Netflix, it's not hard" ....because they can easily wfh and afford netflix subscription and calling other people selfish idiots for not wanting to take 8 days off work to find out if a covid test is negative!

As much as I roll my eyes at my MIL with her need to always have a spare kettle and iron in the cupboard, she'd be having the last laugh now.

I see the lockdown loonies are aboard this thread. If a virus could laugh, it would be guffawing over the nonsense people think will stop it.

No one is stopping to think about whether they should be doing these things or whether it's in the spirit of the message of lockdown

In the spirit of lockdown fuck me!

Closing non essential aisles

• will not prevent viral spread

• will not help small businesses (people will shop online)

• will not improve quality of life (quite the opposite)

So why do it? Just because they can?

@cologne4711

Our local Tesco in April blocked off all of the aisles selling non-essential stuff ,clothes, toys etc

Where was this? I'd not heard of this before. I did hear that Pets at Home were policing what people bought - and Boots banned people from the "non-essential" aisles.

I am a bit bemused at the notion that clothes are not essential. I said on another thread yesterday that kids grow, this is now half term week (assume it is in Wales too and that was why this weekend was chosen to begin the lockdown) so people may have time off work to finally go and get new things for their kids, and now they can't, so they'll have to go back to school wearing things that are too small for them. How does that help the virus not spread? Answer - it doesn't.

It was in the Northwest. Most supermarkets did this.

I did hear that Pets at Home were policing what people bought - and Boots banned people from the "non-essential" aisles.

Exactly - this happened back in March.

so people may have time off work to finally go and get new things for their kids, and now they can't, so they'll have to go back to school wearing things that are too small for them. How does that help the virus not spread? Answer - it doesn't.

How does asking people to stay at home and not go out shopping prevent the spread of the virus? Erm, that's exactly what the lockdown is for. It is precisely to stop people going out just to go shopping that this non-essential rule exists.

Blessed be the fruit

@Sarahandco

He obviously wants to ruin the local economy and get people to order from Amazon instead.

rather than the struggling local business Tesco you mean?

• No one is stopping to think about whether they should be doing these things or whether it's in the spirit of the message of lockdown

In the spirit of lockdown fuck me!*

What? Why is that funny?

Everyone seems to have lost their minds over their human rights to buy a kettle being removed.

I've only ever owned 2 kettle's in my entire life, so the chance of suddenly needing one in the next 2 weeks is remote, and I've bought both of them on line anyway. Change to my behaviour pattern due to MDs rules: zero, but why let that get in the way of a good rant about my rights.

There's a pandemic, things obviously need to be different. No one likes it, but that's the way is it.

The fact that people are so unbelievably rigid in their thinking that they can't come up with a makeshift solution that doesn't involve going to a shop for the next 2 weeks is really worrying

Our local supermarkets closed some non essential aisles briefly, although they had a few racks of basics available - baby clothes included. It didn't last long though, they very quickly opened everything up. AFAIK there was no mandatory requirement to do it and it was as much about queue control as anything else.

If people stocked up on 2 weeks of long life products they were accused of being selfish hoarders.

Kettles can be bought for much less than £20. I have a perfectly good kettle which cost £12, bought from Tesco.

Primary school children and yrs7 and 8 are going back to school after half term —to spread the virus— so may well need wellies, coats umbrellas etc if they have to walk to school. Or warm dry shoes for walking to work, walk the dog, walk for exercise etc. All of which is allowed.

This is awful. I know a few people who don't like online shopping. Surely due to social restrictions they should be encouraging people to buy books etc to fill their time.

@justchecking1

* justchecking1 I don't understand the rage here.

The bottom line is we're not supposed to leave the house unless for essential reasons. If something is available on line then it's not essential to leave your house to get it, is it?

You can still have all the frivolous shit your heart desires, you just can't go out to buy it!

I'm not sure what the issue is? 

a) because there's no logic or scientific rationale behind it

b) it's not just "frivolous shit" it's duvets, raincoats, umbrellas, socks, baby clothes, kettles, etc. Yet real "frivolous shit" like wine, chocolate, lottery tickets and fags are freely available.

c) some people don't easily use the internet. Even for those that do, if you don't have amazon prime then it can take 4-5 days for something to be delivered. That's if you are at home all day and not, for example, a nurse working night shifts...*

A) Of course there's logic. The logic is "don't leave your house as far as possible, and the virus won't spread". It's not a case of "while I'm here, I may as well buy...", it's a case of not being in the shop in the first place. We had plenty of notice, we should have stocked up on a couple of weeks of long life food so we don't need to go out. Those who didn't have the money to get any stocks in probably won't be able to benefit from having a spare £20 to replace a kettle anyway. Even if a few people absolutely have to go out to the shops, the vast majority won't/shouldn't need to. Stopping selling non essential stuff will mean people don't just go to Tesco for an afternoon out.

B) Not much call for umbrellas, raincoats, hair dryers, wellies and all the other stuff mentioned if you're staying in your house. Just wait the 2 weeks or order online if you can't.

C) oh the horror of having to wait 4 days for something! I just can't get that worked up about that. It's a pandemic FFS, we need a bit of perspective.

The whole problem is people are far too focussed on worrying about what they can and can't do, and how to get around the rules, and why the rules shouldn't apply. No one is stopping to think about whether they should be doing these things or whether it's in the spirit of the message of lockdown

Well, the people still going out to work will need coats, shoes, etc.

@AllPlayedOut

Ok, you may have been talking about other essentials, but from the way you worded your post it sounded like you were talking specifically about fake blood, and it was funny.

I'm glad that you're so easily amused.

And I'm glad I'm not locked down with you See, even in these difficult times we can all find something to be thankful for.

And I'm glad I'm not locked down with you **

No need for the nightmare fuel thank you. I have enough trouble sleeping at night.

Stopping selling non essential stuff will mean people don't just go to Tesco for an afternoon out.

Is there evidence for this? Why would the people who go to Tesco for an afternoon out stop going because they are not selling non essentials? wouldn't they just go for an afternoon out for essentials?

Well, the people still going out to work will need coats, shoes, etc.

It's been pissing down in Wales for weeks, I imagine most already have them.

Those that don't have a week to order on line.

Again, not really a huge issue?