Local councils and retail giants will deploy a small army of “social distancing wardens” on Monday to police crowds as non-essential shops open their doors after almost three months of lockdown.
Councils across the country have hired or redeployed staff to ensure shoppers and retailers comply with social distancing rules. And big chain stores, including Primark, Ikea and John Lewis, have brought in extra security staff.
The councils and retailers hope the wardens will prevent unruly queues as people rush back to clothes, homewares and electrical shops that have been closed since March. More than 1,000 people were reported to have queued outside Ikea warehouse stores, some turning up at 5.30am, when the Swedish chain was allowed to open two weeks ago.
Birmingham council has warned traders it will take enforcement action against any who fail to comply with social distancing rules, and has hired the private firm Kier to police the city’s shops.
Eddie Fellows, Kier’s highway network director, said: “Our highway stewards are there to help traders who wish to comply, but they will ask the council to take enforcement action if they fail to. We do not want to take possession of traders’ property but are ready to do so in the interests of public safety.”
Broxtowe borough council in Nottinghamshire has hired wardens to police four town centres – Beeston, Stapleford, Kimberley and Eastwood – in “Covid-branded” high-visibility jackets. Council leader Milan Radulovic said: “Whenever you ask people for common sense, you get 90% who will immediately get it. But you also get the other 10% who think it doesn’t apply to them and they don’t give a damn about anyone else. Those people have got to be dealt with.”
If we all follow the necessary social distancing measures and show a little consideration to those around us, then everyone will be better off. Leeds council has created a team of “ambassadors” who will patrol its main shopping streets to help the public, while other teams will offer guidance to keep people safe.
Cambridge and Oxford city councils have hired teams of city centre stewards, and Oxford has also spent £234,000 constructing one-way pavement systems.
The government has warned it will fine shops owners up to £1,000 if they have not carried out adequate risk assessments.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, implored consumers to shop responsibly to help prevent a second wave of the virus and a return to lockdown. “It has never been more important to play our part in keeping our towns and high streets vibrant,” she said. “If we all follow the necessary social distancing measures and show a little consideration to those around us, then everyone will be better off.”
Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said smaller businesses which have been shut throughout lockdown were dependent on loyal customers to help them avoid bankruptcy. “It’s vital we do all we can to support small businesses by shopping local … helping ordinary families earning a living and bringing the nation back together again step by step.”
