Fears For Tiers

[Bytheloch]

Thread #567 Still here, getting through each day one 2M step away at a time. November into December 2020 here we go...

@Dinnafashyersel that’s a heartening study

Very hearting to hear cases are falling in China, but I don't know details but I do know China has started rolling out the vaccine in at least some areas.

Yes I can fully see why people will all crowd to the big supermarkets to buy toys. Actually it's very sad for the shops who's main business is toys and stuff.

Nobody believes this is only for 3 weeks, the September circuit breaker was 3 weeks and never lifted.

@Bikingbear indeed. The Entertainer, TK Maxx, Build a Bear, Smiggle, The Works, Waterstones all closed in the same shopping centre where folk are buying all the toys in Tesco. They’re all chains, they’ll all have websites (maybe not The Works) but no doubt they’ll be missing the footfall.

Small businesses without websites, though...

As much as is was a bit bonkers to stop the Welsh 'essential' shops selling 'non-essentials' during their lockdown this is even more bonkers.

I think the transmission in shops has to be very very low, masks, screens, SD and the stretching of the rules, the outdoor shops are open means actually they are killing other businesses for nothing.

When I say outdoor I mean places like Tiso, not outdoor as in market stalls.

I think it’s the lack of reason that’s going to cause non compliance

What I don’t understand is why non essential shops can’t stay open but with strict restrictions thus allowing them to continue to trade in particular in the run up to Christmas especially those who face competition from the supermarkets who are still open.

Jeff Bezos must be loving every minute.

Yip and I bet Tesco are kicking themselves for closing Tesco Direct!

I was saying that today - between M&S, boots and Superdrug, B&M, Home Bargains, Dobbies and all the supermarkets, you could pretty much do all your Christmas shopping. I'm not necessarily saying that these shops shouldn't be open - rather that we've not exactly been left with nothing. Plus if there are fewer shops there will be more people crammed in to the ones that are open.

We’re in tier 2 so our shops, cafes and restaurants are open but we’re 5 miles away from a council in tier 4. Town is much busier than normal which is great for all the shop/ restaurant owners. Life is nowhere near normal but I feel so sorry for business owners in the level 4 areas. Crippling in the run up to Christmas.

@icanboogieboogiewoogie

I was saying that today - between M&S, boots and Superdrug, B&M, Home Bargains, Dobbies and all the supermarkets, you could pretty much do all your Christmas shopping. I'm not necessarily saying that these shops shouldn't be open - rather that we've not exactly been left with nothing. Plus if there are fewer shops there will be more people crammed in to the ones that are open.

The Garden Centres, Matalan and the bike shops are open too. Are M&S allowed to sell clothes this time? There isn't much difference between a supermarket selling clothes and a M&S with food hall selling clothes.

The shops that it's really going to hurt are those small shops who don't have online and those who end up with lots of extra impulse buys. Places like Game, Waterstones, HMV could collapse completely.

And actually online is even easier when your working from home, it's so easy order and it just appears at the door a couple of days later. Just like magic! No worries about peeing of the neighbours with a ton of deliveries.

The problem is that I don’t think anyone believes they’ll lift it in three weeks. So people won’t wait for local shops to reopen and will buy online

If the politicians wouldn't be so obsessed with Christmas no one would have to be in tier 4. I know it means a lot to some people but from the recent poll the majority prefers to sacrifice it so we can have more things open long term.

The most noticeable effect I’ve seen of the restrictions on shops today is bottlenecking loads more folk into fewer shops. Nice work.

I don't believe it will be over in 3 weeks either, nor do my friends or family.
I'm pinning my hopes that Boris will force some sort of Christmas.

They’ll lift it for a couple of weeks to “save Christmas” then it’ll be back in force for January and Feb. It’s so depressing. I’m staggered how easily they have removed rights and ways of life that seemed intrinsic and permanent. For a virus that has a relatively low (and incredibly targeted) mortality rate.

Ooops sorry! Meant to post on the bargain thread. Have asked for it to be deleted from here

Apparently we are getting 48 hours amnesty over Christmas - not 5 days as people are talking about in England.

So isn’t it interesting, in the week they go too far with travel bans and the toytown governance around closing the imaginary border, more people than ever start speaking up. It’s almost as if we’re meant to do that, so our tolerance temperature is taken as to how far we’ll allow this control.

Christmas is delivered and because you all behaved, we won’t make you lock down again, oh here’s a vaccine too. We saved you. Your government saved you. Now, back to our agenda.

Meh, whatever, I’m flagging a bit now😒

Exactly Bytheloch. I'm not conspiracy theory minded generally but hard not to conclude the timing all fits rather nicely with Brexit at the year end and Biden being inaugurated in January. All eyes in the UK are then on the Holyrood election in May. It matters for the SNP. However everyone in Westminster seems more obsessed with judging Boris on his ability to hold together "the Union" post Brexit.

Very little of the current virus response seems to be based in anything other than bare knuckle politics. Labour are just hoping to stand by and blame everyone else for the mess, so they are no better.

We're in Tier 2 and local hotel has had family parties of several people in for lunches and early dinners who have travelled from Glasgow, so the travel ban is obviously working. Not.

Bytheloch your so right. It's all about there agenda.

I'm desperate for someone to challenge the border thing. I can't believe that Westminster is allowing it to happen. But then Scotland has so many SNPs at Westminster who's going to challenge it?

It makes sense for the UK to have one set of rules for Christmas. 5 days seems a long time to completely relax the rules but 48 is far too short for anyone more than a couple of hours drive.
So fine for majority in the central belt,
But it's not for families who are further apart say Central belt to the Highlands or Islands or anywhere in England. That's a heck of a lot of driving in a very short time.

Its absolutely all about her agenda.

I can honestly say I'm absolutely glad I was out voted in the last referendum.
I never thought I could support a Tory but Boris is so right that devolution has been a disaster for Scotland.