Can’t believe how quiet the shops are!

[Countings]

Just picked DD up from her job at a large designer outlet - loads of spaces she says today has been like any other Saturday.

We drove to another retail park, again lots of space in what you’d think would be the busiest shopping day since it’s the last weekend before Xmas.

Aldi was quiet, no queues at the tills. There’s no need to impose restrictions, people are doing it themselves.

This is South Wales - what’s it like where you are?

Fairly normal here. Other than the card shop which you can't move in.

Our little market town was HEAVING today, it was wonderful to see. Maybe because its more of a 'destination', somewhere to have lunch too etc.

My town is about as busy as it usually is on the last Saturday before Christmas.

Does my stating the truth make this thread an echo chamber?

@Thewiseoneincognito just took this. It is very busy.

Absolutely heaving here, it's brilliant! The pubs were packed last night too and hopefully will be again tonight. I'll find out in an hour! I'm in Lancashire.

Thewiseoneincognito - I'm wondering as well as we've family who've been to Notts christmas fair and claimed it was very quiet - not sure if's perception or time of day effect there.

I'll post a photo of the bar later if you like. You get awfully worried about "echo chambers" and anything I can do to help.

We went to Costco earlier and it was rammed. Haven't tried the town centre but went past local retail park and cars were queuing to get in, but that's a normal Saturday.
Im in West Yorkshire.

@DynamiteFilledRadish

I'll post a photo of the bar later if you like. You get awfully worried about "echo chambers" and anything I can do to help.

No, I’m hysterically worried about echo chambers. Actually panicked to the point of shrieking about them.

Some of the posts the last few days are very echoey though, I’m not the only one spotting this anomaly either 🧐

Busier than normal here, though I just went out for a few items. I’ll do my proper shopping on Wednesday, probably.

@inferiorCatSlave

Thewiseoneincognito - I'm wondering as well as we've family who've been to Notts christmas fair and claimed it was very quiet - not sure if's perception or time of day effect there.

I'm there right now and it's very busy, but obviously people are here for a night out as well at this time.

It's just been on the news that there is reduced footfall in shops today, both locally and nationally.

Shopping isn't pleasant in masks, so we're spending our money in hospitality.
The children have very little for Christmas, as I don't have the time to scroll through online shops, so they'll get cash to spend.
I'm just not interested in being in stressful places.

Waxonwaxoff0 - makes sense.

It could be busy in our city for similar reasons now I suppose - we were only there late morning to mid afternoon.

My partner said it was very quiet when he popped into town. He also said that the chip shop had no one in last night which is strange, it’s usually really busy on Friday night. I wouldn’t have thought people would not go out and pick up chips but who knows. Even some people I know that have been quite relaxed up until now seem to be taking this more seriously, and I suppose there’s the added thing of not wanting to be ill over Xmas with family.

Went to Bath on Thursday. Got there early and had left by 1pm. Unusually no traffic into the city and car park fine. Pleasant shopping, no queues at tills and just getting busy when we left. Definitely quieter than I expected.

Popped into our market town Waitrose today at lunchtime, couldn't believe it, spaces in the car park and no queues at the tills. Quieter than the average Saturday.

Going on how busy my local retail park was last night when I popped in on the way home from work I would say everyone went last night.

Very quiet here in East London. Even the traffic is quiet (unheard of since lockdown). It's actually quite nice!

Bath was horrendously busy today

Parking very easy in our south east town. Very quiet for a week before Christmas.

I'm in the north and it's absolutely packed

I'm in Scotland and had to do a mini food shop at lunchtime today - I usually avoid food shopping on a Saturday but I was surprised by the lack of shoppers today.

I wasn't quiet but it wasn't Saturday before Christmas busy.

The local pub looked quiet when I walked past last night - I suspect a mix of people being cautious/following guidelines or people isolating.

Humber region here. My local Aldi was dead and staff were being sent home early.

Quiet here, central Scotland

Our retail park at 3pm this afternoon was dead