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?

I went onto Manchester city centre today and it was packed.

We went to the panto today and the theatre was half full or empty depending on how you look at it. Community thing so we’d booked 50 seats due to cancellations only 30 came in the end. Lots of spaces throughout.

I work in a hotel and bookings have really dropped talk of closing for a few weeks after New Years regardless of new guidelines. I think the owner is hoping they will announce a formal circuit break with compensation for hospitality so decision will be made last minute.

Did aldi, Morrison's and sainsbobs this morning. All really quiet. I wonder if people are leaving their normal big shop until Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Town was quite busy yesterday around 5pm though

DD and I went into Cardiff last Saturday and she went again with her friends today. She says it was much busier last week than this.

My son works in an independent mens clothing shop and they've been doing at least double normal takings these last couple weeks.
Today I went out and happy to report the main drag was buzzing!

YANBU
The high street is dead, maybe not in larger towns but the small ones have had it.

I haven't been shopping but the pubs i walked past yesterday were really quiet. Town centre pubs, last Friday before Christmas I would expect them to be packed. I know people cancelling meals out etc all over the place. It's awful for the businesses who won't be entitled to any financial aid because they aren't forced to close.

Just drove through town and it was packed, people queueing out of pubs and the cinema. No masks or distancing of course

Standing room only. Happy days.

@Manc2

I went onto Manchester city centre today and it was packed.

Was really quiet last night, weirdly so.

@DynamiteFilledRadish

Standing room only. Happy days.

Not sure that looks like the kind of exhilarating experience I’d be willing to risk catching Omicron and ruining Christmas for 😆 but whatever floats your boat I guess 😏

@DynamiteFilledRadish

Standing room only. Happy days.

That looks depressing

It’s absolutely heaving in Norfolk. Christmas markets everywhere, huge queues at the post office, supermarkets packed.

@Thewiseoneincognito catching Omicron wouldn't ruin everyone's Christmas. Wouldn't ruin mine.

[quote Waxonwaxoff0]@Thewiseoneincognito catching Omicron wouldn't ruin everyone's Christmas. Wouldn't ruin mine.[/quote]

Or mine 🤷‍♂️

Sheffield. Everywhere looked pretty busy today, local retail park was rammed. Dont know about the city centre shops but lots of cars out and about.

[quote Waxonwaxoff0]@Thewiseoneincognito catching Omicron wouldn't ruin everyone's Christmas. Wouldn't ruin mine.[/quote]
That doesn’t surprise me. How depressing you feel that way.

I'm in the West of Scotland, retail park near me was absolutely mobbed yesterday lunch time. My husband was at one of the shopping centres near us on Wednesday after dropping the kids at school and said it was really really busy. Roads were really busy today also when we were out today.

Why is that depressing? What a silly way to think.

It was busy in our local Waitrose (SW of London) and on the high street. Restaurant was quiet at first in the afternoon and then got really busy with sports crowds coming in for food and drinks. It's not quiet out there but it feels a bit subdued for us as we've stopped meeting people indoors for this week in the hope we'll stay Covid free for Christmas.

Like any average Saturday here in zone three London... although m and s food was heaving.

@DynamiteFilledRadish

have a good night out!

have a good night out!

When I’m having fun on a night out, I’m definitely not posting photos on mumsnet.

Disagree, I live near a Westfield shopping centre and it is packed and has been all week. Oxford Circus also packed with shoppers.

Last night in Manchester was the quietest ever in the 20 plus years I've gone out on fucking mental Friday.