People browsing clothes at M&S

[sunshinehappy20]

Went into the food hall at M&S today, to enter you have to walk through the main shop to get to the back where the food hall is.

On my way through I was surprised to see people browsing the clothing rails and many people had their hands full of clothes/socks/scarfs etc which I presume they thought they could buy. I didn't notice if anyone was on the till but staff didn't seem to be challenging them at all, I did notice more than a handful of people in the main shop so it wasn't just one or two people being cheeky. Anyone else noticed this?

Surely it’s better for the clothing tills to be open so there are more areas to queue and pay, rather than cramming everyone onto one till.

You ARE allowed to buy them. In the last week I have bought pajamas, perfume and a book from M and S, along with food shopping.

Clothes are essential items, I don’t see the problem here

But clothes shops, those selling only clothes are not allowed to open, so they can't be essential.

We are not in a lockdown. You cant go out at all in a lockdown. They have them in prisons and riots etc.

These are just restrictions.

But I presume you can't go to the food court tills to pay, which would mean the 'shop' till needs to be open?
I would presume the opposite, that it's all one shop you can buy clothes at the food tills and vice versa.

I've never done a big food shop at M&S but if I was doing so and picked up a jumper on my way through I'd be surprised to be told I couldn't buy it there.

You can pay for the clothes at the food hall tills, you’ve always been able to do that, even pre corona times😊

I don’t know why this surprises you OP

All through the first ‘proper’ lock down supermarkets like Sainsbury’s and Asda kept their entire stores open, large clothing sections, homeware and electronics. It gave them a massive unfair advantage over other shops and department stores.

Marks and Spencer closed everything but their attached food halls whilst John Lewis closed entirely. Either a new frock and a smelly candle are ‘essential’ or they are not! What’s not fair is ‘it’s ok in Asda but not in M&S’

Of course you can pay for clothes at the food tills.

I bought a few things at m&s today. I hadn't intended to, just went to collect something. It's the fist time I've been out in this lockdown, don't think I'll go again.

I'm relieved Asda clothes are open as DD needs a new winter coat and school shoes. Both fit fine a few weeks ago....

The whole situation is mixed up. It makes sense to close shops to discourage mixing. And it makes sense that a supermarket can sell whatever it has. But then non essential shops are at a disadvantage.

@GlummyMcGlummerson

I am beginning to wonder if people have got the message that we are in a proper lockdown. Today I picked up presents from Argos, and more than one person went to walk in and were surprised o hear it's clock and collect only. But not as bizarre as the man who tried to move the barriers at Smyths to go shopping and then had a huge tantrum when the poor shop assistant broke the news that toy shops weren't essential and the reason that there were barriers and just a table at the entrance was because it's click and collect only.

The irony of your post is hilarious.. you went out to pick up presents but you’re bitching about people being out for non essential reasons ? This is gold !

Separating the essential from the non essential didn't work so well in Wales. E.g. woman told sanitary towels were not essential by some idiot working for Tesco.

I can't get too frothy about people in a shop buying things.

I was in M&S Manchester last week and visited the food hall and the clothing dept. It was quiet even though its a very big store. I had hoped to visit the cafe as i enjoy a pot of tea and a cake but sadly they have closed it.

Another day i was so bored at home on Saturday that i got the metrolink into manchester ,walked around admiring the new architecture and then got a coffee and sat down to people watch.

I go about my life as normally as is possible. I take precautions and as a key worker, ive worked as normal during this crisis. I consider that i am more in danger of severe mental health issues than COVID and therefore i shall make my own judgements and take my own chances.

@DontTouchTheMoustache

It's crazy that people are so determined to go into physical shops when you can buy anything online

Yeah, really crazy. It's almost like people want there to be a High St to go back to when this shit show is over.

Yeah, you can pay at food court.

What if they were hair shirts, OP? Could they buy them then? For all that essential self-flaggelating?

I bought DD two jumpers from M&S last week. Till in clothing area open as normal.

@Fluffybutter I remember someone in the first lockdown saying to me, literally all in the same sentence, "I can't believe all these people ordering non essential toys and rubbish online, oh by the way just to let you know I just ordered nephew a water mat for his birthday next week so you'll need to get something different"

If the current rules stipulate that clothes shops can be open there'll be people in them and not everyone will be doing it as an emergency - kids warm coats/shoes grown out of, etc.
I do think that they should be closed though - online shopping only but with more flexible return policies.

I think there are far greater crimes than buying a scarf from M and S.

Tesco has shut off its clothing at our local one. It’s on a separate floor so maybe that’s why? We’re in London.

It’s allowed so what is the issue Why do people feel the need to make up extra rules 😂

I think the regulations are that supermarkets M&S etc can keep non-food areas open when they're on the same floor, but have to close off departments that are on a different floor.
Local M&S has two entrances on different streets, and there's a change in levels (about six steps) between the food hall and the children's section, so they could close that off quite easily, but haven't. When I walked through the children's section the other day, about half the area is now filled with adult clothes that would otherwise be on the first floor.

The cat patterned pyjamas were so cute - absolutely an essential.
They didn't have my size though, so will need to click and collect anyway.

@Janaih

We are not in a lockdown. You cant go out at all in a lockdown. They have them in prisons and riots etc.

These are just restrictions.

As someone who spent an unplanned four and a half months in Spain earlier this year, this country has never had anything approaching a proper lockdown.

It was an education.

I dont see what the issue is here???

If they are allowed to buy clothes then they can buy the freaking clothes cant they? If the police have an issue with that I suggest they take it up with Marks and Spencers for goodness sake.

Good grief.