Garden Centres remaining open

[Nonimai]

Our local large garden centres are remaining open through the lockdown and advertising their gift shops where their huge displays of Christmas decorations, cards, toys, clothing, gifts etc will all still be available. Meanwhile all our local independent stores on our high streets selling cards, gifts, toys, clothes etc are closing for a month on Wednesday.
The government guidelines are clear that we should only be shopping for essentials and taking as few trips out as possible.
I get that people need goods for their garden and I have no problem with those sales, but the primary Nov, Dec business for garden centres is indoor sales of gifts and Christmas goods.
I find this an absolute kick in the face for small retailers and really distasteful that our local garden centres are promoting their
Christmas decorations, gifts, speciality goods etc and so actively encouraging people to go out and browse.

If you were a shop keeper than could keep open would you not? I imagine they are all struggling for business this year..

My husband is a jeweller. They have been operating on an appointment only basis, with only one customer shopping at a time in the store. Followed by a fill clean down.

They now have to close. Cursing the government in lost tax and the furlough they will be claiming.

Seems madness to close shops that can operate in this way!

The garden centres should never have been made to close back in March. The MH benefits from gardening are huge and go back many many years. My father and grandfather trying to heal themselves of the sights and horrors of two world wars. There is nothing quite like putting your hands in the soil and creating beauty or food where there was none to help heal the soul. It's a wonderful quiet and productive pastime.

If the garden centres happen to sell other items so be it. Just because you don't approve doesn't mean they should close.

Ours is an independent and really wish them well. I shall be supporting our local shops doing click and collect and take out as well. I wish shops (and gyms!) didn't have to shut. Pubs not serving a sit down meal I understand closing but the gastro type pubs have been really good at social distancing etc. All such a shame

Why shouldn't they open. Many are in large premises and have big outdoor areas. Social distancing is perfectly possible.

Many round here do sell animal feed too, which is pretty essential to those with livestock or pets. Some have vets' surgeries attached, which are also an essential service.

@Chaotic45

My husband is a jeweller. They have been operating on an appointment only basis, with only one customer shopping at a time in the store. Followed by a fill clean down.

They now have to close. Cursing the government in lost tax and the furlough they will be claiming.

Seems madness to close shops that can operate in this way!

It really does.

Our local centre is having a massive advertising campaign out of being exempt from all rules, and if they aren't they'll make it up! They reckon Santa's Grotto is "COVID approved".

Good I'm glad they are staying open.

@DenimDrift

Dobbies now have a sainsbury's franchise in them!!

nice work, getting round the 'essential store' status!

Dobies can stay open anyway, having a Sainsburys is irrelevant assuming you're in England. That's the point of the thread any and all garden centre's can stay open, it's quite clear.

There isn't a single one within 25 miles of me that doesn't also have a farm shop in it, so I don't see why they can't sell posh pies if B&M are open to sell cheap pasta sauce and bags of Space Raiders.

That said - I don't entirely agree with closing non-essential shops, although I see the sense in not having crowds in destination city centres. I live near Bath and haven't been near it since March.

Yy, food is food.

Yay! Will look forward to taking DD round the xmas dec. display :)

This is exactly the approach which has forced supermarkets here in France to cordon off the ‘non-essential’ aisles from tomorrow - otherwise it’s not faaair on the small shops.
Never mind that it’s not fair on the public to be unable to toss a book and a pack of tights, and maybe shoes for a child, in with the weekly shopping. After all, you can buy all the cigarettes and booze you want. Seriously, priorities are messed up.

The new regulations, the actual law, doesn't limit people to shopping for essentials. Doesn't even mention it, in fact. See section 6.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/pdfs/uksi_20201200_en.pdf

You can leave your home to buy anything from any shop that's legally open. Just needs to be for yourself, a member of your household, a vulnerable person or a member of theirs.

Garden centres will be fucked with Brexit for a while- give them a chance to make some money before!

@Orcus

The new regulations, the actual law, doesn't limit people to shopping for essentials. Doesn't even mention it, in fact. See section 6.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/pdfs/uksi_20201200_en.pdf

You can leave your home to buy anything from any shop that's legally open. Just needs to be for yourself, a member of your household, a vulnerable person or a member of theirs.

Thank you for posting that, good to know the actual law rather than randomers misunderstandings