Britons have brazenly flouted Boris Johnson's strict instructions not to leave home other than for essentials, by stocking up on homeware and DIY equipment.Good for Britons, I say! I thought we were supposed to 'never, never, never shall be slaves'!
Shoppers in Stockton-on-Tees have been spotted emerging from B&M with a variety of non-urgent items including a lava lamp, paint a houseplant and doormats.So what? So bloody what?! I went to Tesco yesterday, got essential food items and....a new houseplant!
When can I expect the public shaming to begin?
B&M has remained open as it sells essential products including food, groceries and pet food, but many shoppers appeared to stock up on other goods inside the store.While you're picking up your dog food, you pick up some paint to do some DIY while you're stuck at home. What's wrong with that?
The flagrant disregard for the strict orders further risks spreading coronavirus as the Government desperately wants the public to remain at home.How? If you're already there anyway!?
The actual consequences of our actions are irrelevant Julia. It is the rules that matter.
ReplyDeleteThe Stasi are among us . . .
ReplyDeleteThis happens all the time. they make the rules, we follow them but not as they intended and they whine like bitches.
ReplyDeleteNo changes here.
Boris' advice with regard to non-essential contact with others, is spot-on...but plod farces, such as Derbyshire, seriously undermined government credibility and the former are a perfect example of 'how not to behave during an epidemic'. Watching the video of plod turning up heavy-handed to break up a comedy club night in Liverpool, was nothing if it wasn't a show of plod stupidity and 'there' flagrant disregard for commonsense and the containment rules they were supposedly attending to enforce.
ReplyDeleteControl of the outbreak was screaming to be a military operation at the outset and emergency planning should have been readily foreseen the military role. Perhaps with hindsight, Boris will regret entrusting the inevitable emergency measures, to the downright stupid.
I don't view it as essential that I pay my taxes. As the economy has been crashed by govt action and there will be massive debts to pay off, the public sector must do the right thing.
ReplyDeleteTo demonstrate that we are all in this together, all people paid from the public purse must have a 20% pay cut and be paid a maximum of £2500 on exactly the same grounds as all the private sector employees sitting at home.
Its only fair, hoves us a level playing field and avoids us stacking up too massive a debt when the economy has shrunk so drastically.
After all we need a functioning economy to pay for our beloved NHS, so in that sense all journeys are essential.
It seems some people are going out for non-essential things only. My sister in law went out because she urgently needed tea towels - I'm not really sure how that can be urgent.
ReplyDeleteIf you're out anyway, you should be able to get whatever you want - but only going out if you actually need something essential seems sensible to me
I agree Julia. This was a typical spiteful Daily Mail story. I wonder if their reporters are following the rules to the letter?
ReplyDeleteWe are already getting calls through 101 to groups gathering and people snitching on neighbours. Very sad to see .
Jaded
I can see nothing wrong in buying a few none essential item if your out for essentials anyway and they are in the same shop. With regard to the Police activities I can't say I am surprised at any stupidity. I was a life long great supporter of them but the last few years have changed all that.
ReplyDeleteLocal police are driving at crazy speeds along our narrow road because it is clear. It is an opportunity to provide their own version of rally entertainment. When they are not burning rubber they are descending on our shops to audit stocks of Easter Eggs. Nobody is helped when police behave like bullies and incautious antagonisers. It's conduct like this which won't be forgotten for years after the present nightmare is over.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there must be a certain amount of frustration if you're stuck queueing behind a series of people going through the checkout with enough supplies to carry out a full interior design project - or worse still, you've been kept shivering in the car park under the 'one in, one out' system while they take their time browsing the shelves for just the right knick-knack or objet.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have sympathy with the woman photographed carrying filing boxes; working from home with very little notice means a sudden need for all kinds of stationery and similar items which an office takes for granted. If we're still confined in a few weeks, we can expect a surge in the need for exercise books, pens and paper (not to mention printer ink) as the supplies brought home from school start to run out - though hopefully the furore will have calmed down somewhat by that stage.
@Macheath, There's always Viking Direct - delivery next day, price reasonable if not cut price. The catalogue I received today was especially full of offers on toilet rolls and cleaners, including 'Niceday Professional' toilet rolls. Just to think, I've arse-wiped for decades using the amateur version. Thanks, Viking.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us who work from home anyway, very little has changed!
"Fire up the Quattro and fill yer boots with Lockdown Fines, lads."
ReplyDeleteI think that the problem arises from the failure to properly train police officers. There appears to be widespread ignorance amongst law enforcers and commentators as to what the regulations actually say. There is no use of the word “essential” in Regulation 6.
ReplyDeleteOf the business premises allowed to keep trading are those selling homewares, building supplies and hardware. Bicycle shops, newsagents and off-licenses are also specifically named. None of which trade in products “essential” to supporting life.
Senior politicians and others have compounded the problem by variously spouting erroneous advice to the public at large.
"The actual consequences of our actions are irrelevant Julia. It is the rules that matter."
ReplyDeleteI fear that's exactly the message that they want to try to propagate...
"Boris' advice with regard to non-essential contact with others, is spot-on...but plod farces, such as Derbyshire, seriously undermined government credibility and the former are a perfect example of 'how not to behave during an epidemic'."
Oh, hive the others a chance, they'll soon catch up. And overtake.
"Its only fair, hoves us a level playing field and avoids us stacking up too massive a debt when the economy has shrunk so drastically."
It's a great idea, but it won't happen.
"My sister in law went out because she urgently needed tea towels - I'm not really sure how that can be urgent."
Who knows why someone's decided what is urgent to them? It's not forbidden to buy tea towels. If it makes her isolation more bearable, then it IS essential.
" With regard to the Police activities I can't say I am surprised at any stupidity. I was a life long great supporter of them but the last few years have changed all that."
That's true for a lot of people...
"Nobody is helped when police behave like bullies and incautious antagonisers. It's conduct like this which won't be forgotten for years after the present nightmare is over."
ReplyDeleteSpot on!
"However, I have sympathy with the woman photographed carrying filing boxes; working from home with very little notice means a sudden need for all kinds of stationery and similar items which an office takes for granted."
Also spot on. And welcome back! You've been missed...
"I think that the problem arises from the failure to properly train police officers. "
Also selecting them on something other than potential...