Local gift shop open because "now selling veg boxes"

[CornflakeMum]

Not sure how I feel about this really. I completely understand that it's tough for independent retailers, but I think this is just taking the piss!

One of our local shops which normally sells cards, scarves, handmade type jewellery etc has proudly announced on Facebook that it is "supporting the local community by now offering veg boxes and eggs" from a local farmer. There is an accompanying picture of a small table with half a dozen boxes on it .
In the comments underneath someone has asked if they'll still be able to buy all the other stuff, to which they've replied "obviously we're focussing on supplying the local community with fresh produce, but yes, you will still be able to purchase other items in the shop."

There are at least three shops within 500m which already sell fresh veg (M&S food, a supermarket and a corner store) so surely this is taking the piss? Meanwhile two other similar gift shops remain closed.

It's weird isn't it. This time round you have shops taking the mickey like this, and yet during the last lockdown there were plenty of shops closed that could have legally opened, like eg Robert Dyas (hardware) and my local dry cleaners.

Good for them.

Why doesn't the farm just cut out the middleman and sell the veg themselves? We've had farms doing deliveries here.

What do you expect these businesses to do, when they’re desperate to keep trading?

Someone on my local FB page was bitching about a gift shop still being open for click and collect orders. Presumably your gift shop isn’t allowing people to come in and mill around, but they can sell to people who turn up at the door.

The fact that the two other gift shops are closed is by the by.

Good for them. People need to keep their businesses going.

Good for them! They are thinking outside the box to help their business survive. I'd much rather get locally sourced produce and if me going in helps the business survive than that's just a bonus

People don’t want to throw their livelihoods away, I would support them.

I think people are desperate which is why click and collect has taken off. it is the time of year generally reatil profits are up.. They are concerned they are going to lose more online sales to the intenet.

Whilst not in the spirit i don't blame them..

People are allowed inside the (very small) shop to purchase the food (and anything else). The way it is displayed it looks as if they don't actually expect to sell any food, it is more for show and to keep their doors open.

Local farmers ARE doing delivery and yes, other shops are offering online and delivery.

I'm actually very supportive of local businesses doing what they can, but this one somehow seems to be taking the piss I feel.

Good for them!

Great for them, good thinking to do that and keep themselves open. I feel so sorry for the small businesses suffering from this. Please go and support them and buy a veg box!

@CornflakeMum

People are allowed inside the (very small) shop to purchase the food (and anything else). The way it is displayed it looks as if they don't actually expect to sell any food, it is more for show and to keep their doors open.

Local farmers ARE doing delivery and yes, other shops are offering online and delivery.

I'm actually very supportive of local businesses doing what they can, but this one somehow seems to be taking the piss I feel.

Trying to earn a living and keep your small business going is not taking the piss.

It's keeping a roof over your head and putting food on the table.

My manager went into our local city centre yesterday and Waterstones and TJ Hughes were open.

Maybe there were selling eggs inside?

I can completely see why little stores are doing this. It may be defeating the point of lockdown but they need to survive.

Retail should never have been closed in the first place as there is little evidence that they are major sources of outbreaks. Good for any retailers finding a way around this unfair regulation.

They've probably spent thousands buying in Xmas stock. There are many that will be buying online for Xmas and others that are getting presents in when they're say in the local supermarket, so they desperately need the trade in prime Xmas shopping time, and obviously don't want to be left with vast amounts of items that are clearly Xmas stock. Sad to say, but it's survival of the fittest at the moment.

Good for them. The fact that you're describing someone trying to keep a roof over their and their family's head and food on the table as "taking the piss" really sums up the ridiculous attitude on mumsnet

FYI lots of coffee shops and restaurants are open for take away too, you can come inside and order. I don't see why I should be allowed to be inside a mcdonalds getting food but not allowed to be inside a gift shop getting a picture frame. It's about the same risk...

Good. These small businesses are being fucked over by the covid restrictions. I hope they do good trade.

I'm actually very supportive of local businesses doing what they can

Except for diversifying their offering to keep trading and potentially keep their business going?

I saw on FB a fireworks shop that started selling bread, eggs and milk in order to open. Tbh if they sell using PPE and social distanced etc who cares. Firework shops would have lost thousands if not allowed to open. If gov can use loopholes so can small businesses

For small shops like this, where it’s easy to see how many customers are inside and stay outside until there’s space, I don’t think they should ever have had to shut. Actually that’s true of bigger shops too if it was easy for distancing to happen. The high street is going to be destroyed if this situation carries on through December, Christmas sales are what keep many businesses going through leaner parts of the year. There is very little evidence that shops were responsible for the rise in cases this autumn, they opened in the summer and were fine until schools went back...

It is interesting to see most people saying 'good for them'. There is a barber near us who had vowed to remain open and comments on that attracted very negative views about him from locals! He got shut down.

Why don't the rules apply here? Whether you agree or not people need to conform or everyone can just ignore the rules. Speak on here about ignoring the rules also gets very negative responses. Why is this different?

Can people really not see the issue? If large numbers of businesses that are supposed to close find a loophole to stay open, then what’s actually changed? Bugger all, basically.

@TheGoodEnoughWife

It is interesting to see most people saying 'good for them'. There is a barber near us who had vowed to remain open and comments on that attracted very negative views about him from locals! He got shut down.

Why don't the rules apply here? Whether you agree or not people need to conform or everyone can just ignore the rules. Speak on here about ignoring the rules also gets very negative responses. Why is this different?

Because barbers are categorically forbidden from opening. Whether that was a correct decision or not, that's how it is.

With shops, however, the situation is much less clear-cut. It's hard to define 'non-essential' and since supermarkets are allowed to remain open and sell whatever they have in stock - incl 'non-essential' items - then you could say that it's unfair to prevent smaller retailers from doing the same.

Yes, @TheGoodEnoughWife - this is sort of how I feel about it too.

If every shop on the high street just gets in a sack of spuds and says they are "serving the local community with fresh produce" then this virus is going to rumble on forever. Anyway, this shop now seems to be getting a lot more flak on FB than on here and a local farmer has just offered a 'fresh produce collaboration' with the other two gift shops .

Well if you don't like it then don't go! Easy. Some people just like to complain