The hospice where mother in law was cared for in her last two weeks of life a couple of months ago, has closed 4 of its 6 shops this week. The hospice was on the national ITV news last week saying they were not sure how much longer they could carry on. Without that place and those like it, the NHS would just be under even more stress.
I assume the shops have lost foot fall and custom due to lock down.
Sadly its only going to get worse and more job losses will occur I'm afraid, and the annoying thing is it was foreseeable and avoidable.
I said in March a total lockdown was wrong. We should have had a targeted and specific lockdown to protect and properly support the most vulnerable, but with limited impact to the economy and jobs. Alot of people supported total lockdown and sadly the impact of it, is now coming to bear and will cost us more than jobs, there will be alot of austerity in the coming years.
As I say all foreseeable and and avoidable but as is the norm people want their cake and eat it with little thought for the consequences.
@Duke it wasnt the only option back then nor is it now. There is always options. What it was, was the option chosen and supported by the many. The same many that now seem somewhat disappointed and surprised at the consequences of such drastic action.
I do genuinely believe the mess we are in now and for the foreseeable future with job losses and austerity was foreseeable and avoidable.
Ah Sweden. Despite us constantly being told we can't compare other countries to our own because of population densities and health care systems, Sweden gets mentioned all the time.
The figures show that Swedes adhered to the rules. They worked from home, they socially distanced. The government didn't have to go for a full lockdown because the public were already doing what was required.
Read what Sweden actually did. All schools for over 16s and Unis were closed.
They also have a much better sense of social responsibility than UKers and worked on a voluntary lockdown.
But in any case Sweden does not come out of this as well as many want to believe. Their economic impact was still considerable and their death rate is still very high compared to their neighbours.
I'll let Jack respond on Sweden as it was his point and he is always well informed.
My point is a simple one. We should have had a targeted lockdown not a general one. Alot of unessecary job losses and austerity will follow as the consequence of the total lockdown.
One of my locals is a Greene King or someone another, and they really aren't helping the themselves tbh.
We called in on a family walk for a drink and were told we had to leave as we hadn't booked in. It was a lovely day but the place was empty, a maximum 25% full, with a wash of chairs inside and out available with plenty of social distancing possible. We offered to book there and then, give them all our details and order using their app and pay contactlessly via the app but the 3 people behind the bar doing absolutely nothing told us sorry you have to leave.
Wouldnt mind if we were a rowdy bunch of lads, but it was me, the wife and kids stopping for a drink at a local country boozer we use regularly.
Yep, these high street job losses will have a massive impact on the whole area of retail. I know we are in Covid right now, but all these people needed to eat, buy coffee etc.... really sad times all round
really sad times all round