Virus sparks panic buying and call-offs
things for the show because there are community entries and individual entries and, although people are disappointed, they can understand the reason behind the decision.”
Secretary/ treasurer of Muthill SWI, Maureen Macgregor, said it was the right decision to take.
She said: “I think it’s a safe idea. Members attend from throughout the whole of Perth and Kinross, plus you get visitors coming on the Saturday to view all the exhibits and to see who has won.
“There’s floral art, sewing, knitting, baking and every craft you can imagine.
“This is a major show for Perth and Kinross.”
And it seems panic buying has hit the Strath.
By Tuesday there was no toilet roll to be had in the Crieff Co-op, while stock at Aldi’s was rapidly depleting.
Signs on the bare shelves in the Co-op advised the rationing of certain items, stating: “Due to seeing higher demand than usual, we’ve decided to put a restriction of three units per person in place to protect availability for all our customers on the following categories – paperware, including tissues, toilet roll and kitchen roll; hand sanitiser; anti bacterial soap and anti bacterial hand wipes and surface wipes.”
There was also an absence of dried milk in the store.
Elsewhere, residents and businesses are doing their bit to keep customers safe – although at the start of the week local shops reported that footfall was less than normal.
The owner of one Strath coffee shop told the Herald: “We are taking precautions like not having salt and pepper cellars on the tables and regularly sanitising door handles.
“We also don’t have menus out at the moment to avoid them being handled and we are just telling people what’s available or writing it on the board.
“Some of our regulars are having a laugh about it but we want to feel that we are doing something.”