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Original poster

Waterstones and mask-wearing

132 replies

VanGoSunflowers · 14/07/2021 14:52

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57832560

How many businesses do you think will follow suit?
And why is the cynic in me thinking that many businesses will look at their key demographic and either take a stance on mask wearing (or not in some cases) based on how likely their clientele are to want mask-wearing to continue?

Are they really wanting to keep everyone safe or do they just want your money…

OP posts:
Againstmachine · 14/07/2021 20:38

Imagine a failing bookshop trying to limit customers Hmm

EffOrf · 14/07/2021 20:42

Much easier to just give Waterstones a miss and order from Amazon, no mask needed and usually cheaper

soapboxqueen · 14/07/2021 20:44

Businesses don't have to let anyone on the premises they don't want so yes they could stop all non-mask wearers.

They won't though as it'll be dangerous for staff due to aggressive members of the public.

It'll be interesting to find out what duty of care employers have to their employees if many become ill or are significantly affected by covid and they had little to no protective measures in place. Maybe this is waterstones way of covering their bases.

I will continue to wear my mask indoors spaces for the foreseeable future.

MaMelon · 14/07/2021 20:46

Imagine a failing bookshop trying to limit customers

They won’t limit customers - don’t be silly. They’ll encourage shoppers to wear masks, they won’t/can’t make them - snd those of us who prefer to shop where people are encouraged to wear them will shop there while avoiding shops that don’t. Let’s face it, those who have decided not to wear masks are already not wearing them or wearing them round their chins.

megletthesecond · 14/07/2021 20:48

Good thing too. It'll be one shop I'm happy to visit. I'm hoping sainsburys do the same. Anything to keep a lid on transmission over the summer would be good, I'd like the kids at school in Sept.

Gothichouse40 · 14/07/2021 20:49

Sadly, it's just an indicator of how much more divisive things are becoming. For me personally, I don't have an issue with wearing a mask. The shops, bars etc do have to consider staff, customers and those who are clinically vulnerable. This may include the staff who work in the shop who may have health issues. Many conditions are unseen.

Gwenhwyfar · 14/07/2021 20:52

@MyGardenSanctuary

You can still go into Waterstones without a mask. They have no right to challenge you.
How do you mean? They could refuse entry if they wanted to? There's a difference between the law and a shop's own rules. A shop can make any rule it wants as long as that rule is not itself illegal.
MaMelon · 14/07/2021 20:59

How do you mean? They could refuse entry if they wanted to?

They won’t refuse entry - in the same way they don’t refuse entry now. The ones who decide they won’t wear one will just claim medical exemption and there’s FA the shop can do about it.

soapboxqueen · 14/07/2021 21:05

@MaMelon

How do you mean? They could refuse entry if they wanted to?

They won’t refuse entry - in the same way they don’t refuse entry now. The ones who decide they won’t wear one will just claim medical exemption and there’s FA the shop can do about it.

Won't and can't aren't the same thing. I agree that they won't, doesn't mean that they can't.

They could refuse entry to any non - mask wearer as long as they had a reasonable provision as an alternative.

They won't because they don't want to do it.

It's all just a show really

MaMelon · 14/07/2021 21:12

They could refuse entry to any non - mask wearer as long as they had a reasonable provision as an alternative

They’ll just offer the same thing here. It’s a complete nonsense - non mask wearers haven’t been routinely refused entry to any shop in the past and they won’t be this time. Hopefully they’ll just avoid the shops that will be encouraging mark wearing so that those of us who want to continue wearing them can use these shops more freely.

TempsPerdu · 14/07/2021 21:13

Let’s face it, those who have decided not to wear masks are already not wearing them or wearing them round their chins

Actually I’m not sure that’s quite true. I, and almost everyone I know, am in the group that have always hated masks but have worn them until now because we’re (broadly) law abiding and don’t like confrontation. As soon as it’s no longer ‘the law’ to do so and there’s a critical mass of people ditching them we’ll stop.

Especially the case for many women, I imagine, as we’re more likely to be harassed for going maskless than big, burly blokes.

soapboxqueen · 14/07/2021 21:17

@MaMelon

They could refuse entry to any non - mask wearer as long as they had a reasonable provision as an alternative

They’ll just offer the same thing here. It’s a complete nonsense - non mask wearers haven’t been routinely refused entry to any shop in the past and they won’t be this time. Hopefully they’ll just avoid the shops that will be encouraging mark wearing so that those of us who want to continue wearing them can use these shops more freely.

I agree and hopefully, if nothing else, being a mask wearer might make others keep their distance 🤞🏻
Buzzinwithbez · 14/07/2021 21:20

I'm curious about how this would work.
A shopper goes out without a mask as they aren't law any more. Does Waterstones offer them a free one? Request that they buy one?
Tell them to bugger off? All have they got a mask and when they say they haven't, drop it?

RonaLisa · 14/07/2021 21:23

@TempsPerdu

Let’s face it, those who have decided not to wear masks are already not wearing them or wearing them round their chins

Actually I’m not sure that’s quite true. I, and almost everyone I know, am in the group that have always hated masks but have worn them until now because we’re (broadly) law abiding and don’t like confrontation. As soon as it’s no longer ‘the law’ to do so and there’s a critical mass of people ditching them we’ll stop.

Especially the case for many women, I imagine, as we’re more likely to be harassed for going maskless than big, burly blokes.

I agree with this. I detest them but I don't do confrontation, either (and would also look like a complete dick if I were to start arguing the toss). I am one of the critical mass who will never wear one so long as they are not 'law'.

But I'm not planning to get in anyone else's space, either. I have always kept to my own space, and prefer other people to do likewise, just because it's good manners.

Wanttocry · 14/07/2021 21:25

@Buzzinwithbez

I'm curious about how this would work. A shopper goes out without a mask as they aren't law any more. Does Waterstones offer them a free one? Request that they buy one? Tell them to bugger off? All have they got a mask and when they say they haven't, drop it?
I believe they’ve said there will be signs up but that staff will not attempt to enforce it. The managing director also said “If you are wearing a mask and you don't want to be in the company with someone who isn't wearing a mask, we expect people will use their common sense and move away”.
MaMelon · 14/07/2021 21:26

As soon as it’s no longer ‘the law’ to do so and there’s a critical mass of people ditching them we’ll stop

In which case I hope you’ll avoid the shops which encourage them and let those of us who want to continue wearing them shop there in peace.

RonaLisa · 14/07/2021 21:32

@MaMelon

As soon as it’s no longer ‘the law’ to do so and there’s a critical mass of people ditching them we’ll stop

In which case I hope you’ll avoid the shops which encourage them and let those of us who want to continue wearing them shop there in peace.

Well, no, I won't.

As we are taking Waterstone's as an example, it is not an essential shop for anyone (not even me, despite my bookishness). So, no, I won't be avoiding Waterstone's in order to leave it to the mask-wearers. I would say that if you're afraid of catching Covid, don't go to non-essential shops.

If a particular supermarket were putting pressure/'nudging' customers to wear masks, I would think there were plenty of alternative supermarkets I could use, and would leave the mask-supermarket free for those who want to be around other masked people unless it were M&S Food Hall, in which case I wouldn't

MaMelon · 14/07/2021 21:36

I said I’d hoped - I didn’t expect non mask wearers to do that for a nanosecond. Rights and all that.

TempsPerdu · 14/07/2021 21:36

I was on a long awaited girls’ weekend away last weekend - 6 old school friends who hadn’t seen each other since before Covid hit. When the masks topic came up consensus was that we all hated the things and had always only ever worn them performatively, to avoid abuse. Everyone said they’d stop wearing them as soon as a sizeable minority of others also did - so safety in numbers really.

Turned out everyone had also deleted the NHS app or had started taking photos or giving fake numbers when asked to provide details. No one was properly isolating their kids any more either - all visiting local parks/gardens for exercise. I never would have guessed any of this if my friends hadn’t shared over a few glasses of wine - to all outward appearances they are super law abiding, upstanding citizens who wouldn’t say boo to a goose. But so many people are at the end of their tether with it all now, and are quietly pushing back.

EffOrf · 14/07/2021 21:40

Much more likely to catch it from people taking their infected kids in there than from anyone not wearing a mask.

2boysand1princess · 14/07/2021 21:49

@tanstaafl

Maybe we stop thinking about ourselves and our 10 minutes in WS and think about the staff there for 8/9 hours?
I will make an effort to avoid places that don’t encourage mask wearing as it’s really not that hard for customers. From my experience if customers really want a product/service from certain businesses they will wear a mask. I don’t know anyone who will avoid certain places because they are insisting on masks.
southeastdweller · 14/07/2021 21:54

But Waterstones aren't really encouraging us to wear face masks unless you count putting up signs as encouragement. What else can they do? Sweet FA that's what. Like I said, it's just posturing.

TerritorialPissings · 14/07/2021 21:57

@EffOrf

Much more likely to catch it from people taking their infected kids in there than from anyone not wearing a mask.
Ignorance at its best!!
saraclara · 14/07/2021 21:58

@tanstaafl

Maybe we stop thinking about ourselves and our 10 minutes in WS and think about the staff there for 8/9 hours?
Exactly. I can't wait to not need to wear a mask. But now, with the cases rising so quickly, is not the time. And I would feel very vulnerable working in a shop for 8+ hours a day, with all customers unmasked.
Terhou · 14/07/2021 21:58

@southeastdweller

But Waterstones aren't really encouraging us to wear face masks unless you count putting up signs as encouragement. What else can they do? Sweet FA that's what. Like I said, it's just posturing.
Ultimately they can refuse to admit people without masks unless they have evidence of inability to wear one for medical reasons. As a commercial organisation they're perfectly entitled to control who comes onto their premises.
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