Waiting game for Scottish shoppers
NICOLA Sturgeon has said she hopes to reveal a date on Thursday for when more shops in Scotland can reopen as lockdown eases.
The First Minister will set out plans later in the week on how more firms can get back to work as the country prepares to enter phase two of the Scottish Government’s routemap.
Non-essential shops reopened in England yesterdaywith large queues of shoppers forming outside flagship stores such as Primark.
The Scottish Government has faced repeated calls from opposition politicians and retail chiefs to reduce the two-metre social distancing rule to allow more hospitality businesses the chance to reopen to customers.
Speaking at her daily media briefing, Sturgeon said she recognised the interest in the two-metre rule – but did not offer a timescale on when it would be reduced.
The SNP leader said she would be consulting with her advisory group but stressed if she thought it was safe to move away from the two-metre rule, she would. Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said: “Thousands of jobs in Scotland could be saved if the Scottish Government reviews the two-metre rule.”
Meanwhile, queues of people, many in masks, stood for hours, some waiting overnight, to get some retail therapy after 12 weeks limited to essentials or online shopping south of the border.
Mall owners Intu reported a 218 per cent week-on-week rise in visitors yesterday.
Retail experts Springboard said by midday footfall at retail parks and malls was up 41.7 per cent on last Monday, and up 51.7 per cent on high streets.
But high street numbers were still 41.2 per cent lower than the same day last year.
People began queuing early at the world’s biggest Primark, in Birmingham. Sachin Sadh, 33, from Birmingham, arrived at 5.30am. He said: “I’ve set myself a £300 limit. I need to buy my wife a birthday present.”