From 15th June....

MayBee....because this government is a joke and haven’t the sense to make face masks mandatory. I am conservative and will never be labour , but a child of two could have managed this pandemic better than our government . Close borders early, track and trace, keep 6 feet apart and wear face masks, and wash hands all the time.

I've been food shopping all the way through anyway.Not just for us but neighbours too so it will not make that much difference.
I do need some makeup & decent shampoo though.
TBH the person I am missing most is my hairdresser! I was due a cut & highlights the day after lock down. I go to a friend in her own house & have just heard from her that she is supposed to be going abroad on holiday shortly. I am selfishly hoping they won't be able to go as I am sure are all her clients.

Shops can open but no word on the most important thing, when can we meet up with family who do not live nearby? I can cope without shopping but would like to have some idea when I can meet up with my sons and grandchildren again. Or are they just afraid to tell us we won’t be able to do this in the foreseeable future?

I am looking forward to markets opening. I am not one to go shopping anyway...I actually do not do shopping. I enjoy buying plants and fruit and veg in markets but that is all.

I am with you Happiyogi

I will stick to online shopping as long as I can..
too much tat and stuff from China... I know... we sent the manufacturing there,,, time to bring it back here?

I was told off yesterday outside Home Bargains. I wanted to buy plants but a couple were buying as many as they could get in their trolley. I was standing away from them but the woman snapped "you are too close, move back from us". I was mortified and with everything that's going on I nearly started crying. I went back to my husband who was in the queue to enter the shop. We watched the couple go to the front of the queue and ask if they could go straight in as they were just buying plants. The idiot at the door let them do that. Things like this make shopping an ordeal for me.

Shops can open where numbers of people are in close proximity to others indoors, but caravan sites, open air and the occupants spread out, are not. And after the hypocrisy of the Cummings debacle, I have no faith whatsoever in the government making sound judgements on leading us through this.

Charity shop volunteers are often older or have health conditions.
These volunteers cannot see their grandchildren, but they can go and rummage through sometimes mucky stuff. Some charity shops are preparing to open in mid June.

Good point MayBe masks should be compulsory in shops, public transport, and other indoor venues. Shops when they reopen will have safety measures in place. Just look at other countries abroad, there is no other way. Yesterday I ventured into a supermarket near closing time so hardly anybody there. Won't go when it's busy though.

Judging by the queues on the pavement outside our butchers and pharmacy, I think there will be a lot of people struggling to stay 2 metres apart outside all the shops!

The retail industry, which provides employment to thousands of people, consists of more than just "locally grown food" outlets and shops selling "plastic tat". And even the "plastic tat" shops provide employment to their staff and the shop owner contributes by paying business rates and vat, so whilst you and I might not want to frequent them Happiyogi, they are a contributory part of the economy.

Stores may be open, but Hairdressers are not, pubs are not coffee shops basically are not going to be on that date, so even those who will be waiting on the doorsteps of the shops on the 15th, won't be able to get a cup a coffee or a drink or snack in the pub or restaurant or even cafe.. which is half the joy of going shopping for me anyway .
...and just thought , probably there'll be no public toilets open either..
I just wish that Dentists could open sooner , I've had a toothache for weeks

Can anyone explain why shops are being reopened but face masks are not being made mandatory?

It depends what they're selling Chewbacca. Locally grown food - brilliant, yes please. Pointless plastic tat, soon to be landfill, no thanks.
The even bigger, global picture.

The furloughed, newly unemployed and those whose small businesses won't recover are hardly going to be stampeding to the shops just to make the economy 'bounce back' for Boris.

That's true enough but small, independent shopkeepers and retail staff will be desperately glad of your custom because it will help to keep more people in work. The bigger picture.

The furloughed, newly unemployed and those whose small businesses won't recover are hardly going to be stampeding to the shops just to make the economy 'bounce back' for Boris.

It won't be enjoyable looking over your shoulder constantly in case anyone's too close for comfort.
Not as relaxing a pastime as it used to be for a long time to come unless you've got a short memory.