Do you think the likes of home bargains/b&m need to close?

[mammamia345]

I don't understand why they are open.
Keep the supermarkets open (obviously ) but the majority of people don't go in home bargains etc for food so just close them.
They don't need to be open.

They sell food, so are classed as ‘essential’ same goes for The Range. But I agree. Supermarkets and convenience stories only.

I think they should remain open. I buy food in there and our local branch's food aisle is usually busy. I rely on B&M for my laundry and cleaning products too. For me it's an essential shop.

Agree.

Drove past my local one today and car park was full.
I bet 95% of them weren't buying food
It's a bit silly

I don’t think there’s much evidence that those sorts of shops are driving transmission.

Although, if fewer shops are open to get food from they will be busier?
Perhaps there needs to be some sort of cut off point on how much of the stuff they sell is "essential".
Mostly food / toiletries etc.- stay open.
Mostly random tat with a token shelf of food to get round the rules - close.

@EndoplasmicReticulum yeah that's a good idea.
Only sell the essential products

Toiletries and cleaning products are also important. B&M has a large range of food and other products too.

@TheWindOnTheMoon

I think they should remain open. I buy food in there and our local branch's food aisle is usually busy. I rely on B&M for my laundry and cleaning products too. For me it's an essential shop.

But can't you get these items in a supermarket?

@PurpleDaisies where is the main transmission points ? With most being shut in tier 4?
Is it schools or private meet ups?

Our local one is rammed, same with garden centres

Most people I know use them for buying cleaning products. Much cheaper and better selection than the big supermarkets. Also kids crafts, exercise books, workbooks etc - which in my book are pretty essential if the primary schools are going to close and the weather is shite.

@worriedandannoyed what if they are closer to a B&M store than a supermarket? What if they can only afford B&M prices?

I’d rather them be open. Spreads out shoppers between the shops. If everyone had to go to the supermarket there’d be queues around the block again

But can't you get these items in a supermarket?

Why should supermarkets get all the business? And surely having more 'essential' outlets open spreads out the crowds?

Yes. There's a Home Bargains appreciation society Facebook group. There are 133000 members. 99.9% of the posts are people buying vases, candles and wax burners. Is ridiculous.

My dd works in Home Bargains. They have been very quiet since tier 4 was announced. However, they are the nearest shop for a lot of the local elderly so they would be greatly missed if they shut. The town doesn't have a supermarket.

So the OP I dont like them so want them shutting.

Supermarkets sell as probably as many non essentials as b and m and homebargains.

And all you do if make more people go to the supermarkets rather than spreading them out.

I hardly think whether or not Home Bargains is a significant source of transmission.

When I go there, I only really ever buy food or cleaning products, bin bags, that type of thing I never really look at anything else.

They're good and importantly cheap, for these types of things, so closing them is removing choice from generally lower income people.

I also don't think it's a good thing to channel all business towards the largest, most powerful supermarkets, who already have a very advantageous position.

@Mangofandangoo

Our local one is rammed, same with garden centres

Ours is too. Think some people maybe just see it as something to do? Walked half way down the first aisle, saw how busy it was and turned and walked back out, got what I wanted at Tesco instead as it was a lot less busy.

@Lanaa

Yes. There's a Home Bargains appreciation society Facebook group. There are 133000 members. 99.9% of the posts are people buying vases, candles and wax burners. Is ridiculous.

You seem to be taking a lot of interest in this FB group.

People are hardly going to post pictures of their loaf of bread or roll of kitchen paper, are they?

I’m in a different area. They solved this by letting stores sell at the door. So you could submit an order online or over the phone, but you can’t go into the building, the employee brings out your order.

[quote mammamia345]@PurpleDaisies where is the main transmission points ? With most being shut in tier 4?
Is it schools or private meet ups?[/quote]
I'd say the main transmission points are schools, private meet ups between people ignoring the rules, and 'bubbles' of people who think they're immune 'because they're in a bubble'.

Probably massively dwarfs the 1 in a million who's picked it up after being coughed on in B&M.

@implantsandaDyson but you then could argue why close fashion shops when we all need to wear clothes.
You could buy books /crafts online
If people are saying buy clothes online well then people could buy books /crafts online too

@Againstmachine

So the OP I dont like them so want them shutting.

Supermarkets sell as probably as many non essentials as b and m and homebargains.

And all you do if make more people go to the supermarkets rather than spreading them out.

MNers don't understand why everyone just doesn't get the organic avocados and sourdough starter delivered by Ocado, just like them.