The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Mandatory face masks fail to put off shoppers
Most people in Tayside and Fife happy to comply with new safety rules as they hit the high streets
Donning a face covering did not deter shoppers from taking to the streets of Tayside and Fife yesterday.
It was the first day of compulsory coverings in shops in Scotland but despite some complaints about being uncomfortable, most were following the “better safe than sorry” mantra.
James and Sandy Douglas, 69-yearold twins from Crieff, were happy to comply with the new rules.
James said: “My nephew’s wife makes masks and we’re both St Johnstone fans, so they’re blue and white.
“I’m a bit surprised that they’ve taken so long to introduce them.
“It’s a bit late in the day but I’ve not got any problem with wearing them.”
Sandy said: “We knew this day was coming to make them mandatory, so we’ve tried them a few times.
“I haven’t seen a customer not wearing them today. You would feel aggrieved if people weren’t wearing them.”
Maggie Stewart, from Perth, also said she would be upset to see people not following the rules, adding: “I’m happy to do it for as long as it takes.
“I would rather wear a mask than have a tube stuck down my throat.”
There are exceptions to the rule, including health conditions and disabilities.
But one shopper in Dunfermline, who asked not to be named, was not keen to comply.
He said: “There are plenty around not wearing them, so I’ll probably only get one if they start enforcing it.
“It’s all a bit over the top, if you ask me.”
Others were more accepting, including Julie Mason, from Cowdenbeath, on her first visit to Dunfermline High Street since before the lockdown was introduced almost 15 weeks ago.
“We just need to do as much as we can to stay safe and reduce the risk, both to ourselves and to others, and wearing the mask is the sensible option,” she said.
“It can get uncomfortable after a time but it’s a small price to pay in the scheme of things.”
In Dundee, most were happy to cover their faces for an afternoon shopping.
Leanne Rhynd, 24, from Kirkton, was relieved to see people wearing coverings.
“I think the legislation is a good idea,” she said.
“I have had some masks in the house for a while and been wearing them anyway. People seem to be wearing their masks in the shops, so it’s all been fine.”
But for 35-year-old Linda Gibson, from Maryfield, trying on her wedding dress was a bittersweet moment as capacity was limited in the shop.
“I was in town for a wedding dress appointment, so I was wearing a mask throughout all that, which was interesting,” she said.
As Dundee’s Overgate shopping centre prepares to reopen fully on Monday, shops in neighbouring Angus were pleased to report that most of their customers were wearing coverings without a fuss.
Usman Saeed, store manager at Cheers Plus convenience store, on Grant Street, Arbroath, said: “We’ve started wearing masks all the time. It’s been about 50/50 with the customers so far.
“The ones coming in without a mask, we’ve been mentioning the new rules and they have said they will take one next time.
“Some don’t seem to have realised the rules change today. Overall, it has been going well.”
Carol Doig, manager at Take a Hike, High Street, Forfar, said: “It’s been going really well so far and everybody has been wearing a mask.
“All of our customers have been complying, so that is good.”
“I would rather wear a mask than have a tube stuck down my throat. MAGGIE STEWART