To be bothered by this at Morrison's? Photos included

[VictoriaMeldrew2020]

Our local Morrison's had reduced its customer capacity because of covid.

Though it just feels like normal everyday busyness in there.

There's 3 customer entrance/points in normal times, nowadays there's just one.

The one entrance is fine with respect to being able to socially distance from others going in and out, there a a lot of Christmas stock in there creating a barrier.

I'm very aware I'm becoming a Grumpy Old woman, so I'm just asking for perspective regarding the following issue. Please be candid.

The other two ebtrabce/exit points are blocked off

One is at the top of a ramp and opens onto the High Street. One is much bigger and opens on to the car park.

The car park doors has a lobby and this is now used for storing stock in big crates. The ousyde of these doors are barriered off. (Photos just about show the stock from inside the store, my camera is shit, apologies)

I feel that this situation is worryingly unsafe.

Perhaps the smaller customer numbers has meant that the risk has been assessed, and the single entrance (full of chocolate boxes) is sufficient?

AIBU to be concerned?

Apologies

*has reduced

Is it fire exits you are concerned about?

Presumably in case of a fire/serious event all exits would be needed. In that situation the immediate threat from the hazard would outweigh any threat from covid. So no, YANBU.

I am not quite sure what you point is.

Unsafe as in emergency exit?
Unsafe for Covid? Is the entrance and exit the same door?

Presumably it has all been risk assessed.

Most supermarkets only have one way in and one way out anyway in my experience

YANBU.

I've stopped shopping at Morrisons even though it's my nearest supermarket (and I really wanted to donate something via their giving tree, they are the only local supermarket with one) because they have narrowed entrances in a really unsafe way, don't make any attempt to limit numbers so the shop is always busy, half the shoppers and staff don't wear masks, and there's no attempt to sanitise anything that people are touching.

That looks exactly like our Morrisons. I imagine their national health and safety team will have risk assessed and deemed it safe for roll out to all the stores. They’re limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time.

Sorry.

Unsafe in respect of fire exits.

The unused ones are blocked.

Avd the only one in use is full of Christmas chocolates.

It's unsafe. Fair enough to take the extra entrances out of use. Even to put tape over them. But fire exits should never be physically blocked.

You could give your local firebrigade a call and ask about this? I thought fire exits should never be blocked. Unless they have other fire exits around the store that are not usually used to enter and exit it seems unsafe.

They're hardly blocked sufficiently to prevent exit, just safe exit.

My husband and I had this conversation today, we left a Wilco’s as it felt unsafe. All exits closed and locked and only 1 door in use for both in and out . I get it’s so they can control numbers in store but if there was a fire you would never get out as you would need to zip zag through the isles , extra items in the way and then check out queue points to reach door .

The stores will have other fire exit doors which are not used as store entrances. For example our local Morrisons only has one door in any case but I know for a fact they have a fire exit at the back as it's visible from the car park. Please don't worry about the safety aspect there are other ways out

My local Morrisons has taken the lift from the parking deck out of action, no signage warning of the lack of step free access. Had to push trolley with toddler up the car ramp, plus veg selection was mostly out of date. Will not be returning!

fire exits should not be blocked.

I'd ask the store manager if they've checked with local fire services.

Why not contact the store to raise your concerns?
There should be some way to get in touch if you look at their website

You can tell all these threads aren't written by people who've worked in large organisations throughout lockdown!

None is blocked off. They have a tape across one and a plastic barrier on the other, both of which could easily be moved in event of a fire.

Is there a marshall at the door, monitoring people going in, who would move them if the fire alarm went off?

Also, how many times have we heard of a fire in a supermarket? In my lifetime, never.

I agree with contacting the store. Or even ringing your local fire safety officer. It does sound concerning.

there will be other fire exits. if you look around there will be some at the back of the store and some in the back staff areas that can a;lso be used by customers in event of fire.
Out tescos only has one door that is used by customers but it has4 other fire exits that are directly accessed from the shop floor/customer toilets as well as 3 doors to the back areas which also have several exits to outside via delivery doors, staff doors etc

@JinglingHellsBells

Also, how many times have we heard of a fire in a supermarket? In my lifetime, never.

You've not been here then. Our Morrisons burnt down two years ago after a pan in their kitchen caught fire. The whole store had to be rebuilt.

Speak to the store manager if you need, once in M and S the fire alarm went and suddenly a lot of doors sprung open, normally people had no idea that these doors even existed.

Depends if it is a fire exit. If it is, they shouldn't be using it to store crates. Presumably they will have done their risk assessments with this but you could check if you're worried.

@JinglingHellsBells

Also, how many times have we heard of a fire in a supermarket? In my lifetime, never.

That's a weird thing to say.

A fire can happen anywhere.