Sports Direct is staying open

[VivaLeBeaver]

Mike Ashley has emailed staff and said it’s an essential shop and they’re to come to work today. I wouldn’t normally wish anyone ill but I could nearly wish a dose of coronavirus on him.

But sadly I don’t think this will be the only business. Boris has said non food shops are to shut but loads of non retail businesses seem to think they have the green light to remain open. So I know someone who makes staircases whos off to the staircase factory tomorrow and will be mixing with dozens of others.

Are staircases essential? Will the U.K. crumble if we can’t make staircases for a few weeks?

I’m going to be pissed off if I’m abiding by the lockdown and 70% of people are still going to work as normal. Because it will lead to deaths and cause the lockdown to last longer.

I will not be buying anything from sports direct again either , what a fuckwit that man is .

I saw a list yesterday of business types that are essential, and it did include newsagents.

Just like essential, roles includes public service journalism

So WH Smith is allowed to open

I hope once this is over and we come out the other end that people remember this day. I and all my immediate family have said we will NEVER shop in sports direct again. I am a key worker and will be back at work next week (currently on annual leave) and I want to come into contact with as few people as possible. Mike Ashley is giving non key workers a reason to flout the rules, he is helping spread the virus! Please vote with your feet.

I was actually at sports direct.

Also agree about construction.

We are having smart motorway near us. I would imagine that's necessary to carry on. People will still need roads. I would also think this is a great time to fill in all the pot holed roads!

Someone without a kitchen - finishing is essential imo. Eating is a basic human need.
Starting to rip out your house is not essential. It can wait.

I'd also say building of houses is essential due to our housing crisis. But that's the building. No need to be inside decorating right now unless it can be one person.

Sports Direct CFO has just issued a clarification, saying they will not be open

Sadly I have family who work for both site investigations and building merchants and they've been told they are to continue as normal I feel physically sick that these twat companies are seeing £££ signs more than the risk to peoples lives what is the point in this lockdown when there are still going to be vulnerable families at risk of their loved ones bringing this virus home to them 🥺

Good that SD have changed their minds.

Sports direct are awful. I worked there when I was 16 for £3.70 an hour. They made me buy my uniform (which as I was only doing 16 hours was a weeks wage which they took back when I left). They frisked you before leaving the store to make sure you weren’t stealing anything and as part of this you had to show your socks and if they weren’t black you got a warning. Worst place I ever worked.

Poundland and the range are both apparently staying open

It was a publicity stunt. Do they trade online?

B and m are too apparently

Well not all publicity is good publicity in this case. Who is he trying to impress?

Good that SD have changed their minds.

Well not really changing their minds, more government telling them to stop being an idiot.

Those songs they sing at St James Park about what Mike Ashley is turn out to be bang on.

WH Smith's is not fucking essential. Shut down you utter twats.

Our WHS has the post office in it as do many so maybe that's why they are staying open?

b&m do sell a lot of food and I've seen posts from people who have said they've found food in there when the supermarkets have been bare. But if the supermarkets are now better stocked (?) then we need to think do we need the likes of b&m being open? But guess you can argue the more shops which sell food which are open the more spread out people will be so better social distancing?

Quite a few WHSmith stores have post offices in them since the Royal Mail closed so many actual standalone post offices.

B&M, Poundland and Home Bargains sell a lot of household essentials, including cleaning products. HB is where I get most of my bathroom and cleaning stuff.

I always feel awful shopping in Sports Direct but sadly they are one of few places I can get clothes for ds who is large for his age and has significant sensory issues. I had meant to ask dh to try pick up some stuff for him yesterday when he went to get our prescriptions filled as he has limited clothing that fits and with no school uniform it's a but challenging. Had assumed after announcement that opportunity had passed.

Having said that, as a matter of principal even with the need to get ds new clothes even I couldn't shop there today if they were open.

Feel same way about homebase - was going to see if we could get some seeds and compost for the kids today. But assume not. I think they are tryin to stay open but I eont be going there. Will see what's available online instead.

(We have been self isolating for.last 2 weeks so havent been able to get to these shops before now.)

WH Smith's are also based in hospitals.

WH Smith is now going to be closing 60% of its stores. Those remaining open will include Post Office branches and hospital stores, and branches in travel locations. like airports and some mainline stations, and in some small towns.

Hopefully today there will be clarification about what's essential.

Some stuff in DIY stores is. If your tap is broken it needs fixing. Essential because washing hands is one of the major factors in this.

But I also think supermarkets need to re arrange their shelves. I'm sure people will want to browse toy aliases and dvd aisles etc whilst locked down. But this will create gatherings of people unnecessarily. Same with clothing areas.

They either need to start online only for these or spread them out around the shop. But also think about where to place them. Don't put toys by the pasta aisle or games by the loo rolls.

I’ll never buy from them again (well for DD)

I think b&q need to say they’ll be open with skeleton staff for emergency type stuff. Not for bulbs or paint.

God forbid brainless morons can't go out and buy the latest overpriced nylon football shirt .... how would they manage without? FFS!