The government want the shops open quickly because a significantly large portion of those on furlough will be retail staff. Less people on furlough, more people spending. Less people than normal though - as someone said above, no office workers nipping in for their morning/lunch coffee and meal deal, no quick lunch break browsing. However people need things - I do! I’ve been trying to find some summer clothes for work (back to school!) and have seen a lot of what I’m after out of stock. The supply lines have broken or slowed right down. Children have grown. The shops will generate money. I personally won’t be going in on the first day, that will be mayhem. I do know some individual shops that I would like to try and support though for upcoming birthdays etc. I imagine a lot of smaller shops will have “3 customers at a time” or such rule, my newsagent has that.
I have mixed feelings as to whether it’s the right thing to do. Like most people, I have my opinions but don’t actually know.
What I would love is for medics to be sent out and just knock on everyone’s door and swab us all for testing. Then we can find who’s had it, who hasn’t, where the hotspots are....then we can get a bit of normality back. Our speed of testing has been ridiculous.
As for schools, I’m actually in favour of the schools returning for many reasons (and I say that as a staff member) because like in every scenario, there’s pros and cons, and there are many issues alongside Covid we have to consider and deal with.
My personal speculation is the school guidance will change in the next 2 or 3 weeks. My thoughts?
They’ll change “bubble of 15 max” to “bubbles of around 15” to allow for the classes of 30+ everywhere.
They’ll remove the distances between desks rule, down to a meter or completely so that most classrooms can fit 15 odd in.
They’ll get all primary back before summer this way, albeit part time (half days or half weeks per bubble)
It also wouldn’t surprise me if they reinstate holiday clubs and play schemes, again it’s money and taxes and jobs. But still in bubbles of 15. Which could either be a thousand different options of clubs or hardly any spaces.
I’m interested about the summer holidays after what the Ofsted man (name forgotten) has said.
@DameLucy another one here who will require an hours warning for family! I’ve seen my 8 week niece only through the car window 
If shops can run how the supermarkets are, and form queues outside etc then this could be ok and a boost for our sinking economy, and could save so many peoples livelihoods. But this is the general public we are relying on. Who the politicians want to blame if we get round 2.