GWR-fan Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 3 hours ago, big jim said: .................................................... as I walked across the car park I noticed the Main store wasn’t open and there was already a queue of a couple of dozen people waiting outside with trolleys, I just turned around and went back to the station! Exactly the same situation here downunder in suburban Sydney at a large supermarket. Some supermarkets are opening one hour early to allow those elderly and those disabled shoppers to avoid the crush. The store received a large shipment overnight due local authorities lifting an embargo on night time deliveries to suburban stores. The store staff member I spoke to this morning said an elderly gentleman approached her at opening time and asked if there was any toilet paper available and where it was in the store. Her response was to follow the long line of customers with empty trolleys. She likened the lineup to ants who have found a food source. A pallet load of paper lasted barely minutes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2020 10 hours ago, melmerby said: I use this for woodwork: https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-pva-5ltr/57248#_=p B+Q do the same PVA for Near enough the same price 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR-fan Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 7 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said: Why no milk? Why no meat? During the foot and mouth crisis there was milk and meat........ One local very large retail store chain downunder two nights ago was cashing in on the hoarders by offering heavily discounted freezers in TV advertising. I can understand storing products with no shelf life but fresh and frozen meat and chicken has been almost unavailable for weeks at major supermarkets in Australia. Fresh salmon fillets have always been available. Surprisingly, fresh milk has not been an issue but longlife milk and milk substitutes like soy and almond milk vanished overnight and is only now starting to reappear on shelves. One thing I have noticed is couples come into a store and follow each other through the store and pack a trolley full of goodies each thus avoiding the limits that are being imposed on items. This morning a supermarket checkout employee advised me that the store was intending a single item purchase limit on goods until the situation improves. Another surprise is that even though stock is down in numbers the store is still offering specials on limited items rather than full retail. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 It was similar with the petrol blockades about 20 years ago. I could walk to work. It was about a hour's walk, mainly along a public footpath, but not really a problem. Once people started queuing for petrol, I stopped bothering. I think I had about 1/2 a tankful. The village had a railway station (on a 25kV line) & bus service, so it was not like I couldn't go anywhere. One of my colleagues told me I should fill up while I could. I responded that I was not about to join the mass panic & that when I started to run low, I would manage without the car. I think I ended up walking to work once before filling up became a little easier. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 31 minutes ago, jonny777 said: Take the number plate of the van and report him to the police. I doubt that they'd be interested - what law do you think that he is breaking? John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2020 7 minutes ago, cctransuk said: I doubt that they'd be interested - what law do you think that he is breaking? John Isherwood. I bet they'd enjoy checking out his vehicle etc.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 Its still mad - I went out this morning to get a couple of loaves of bread. I got to Tescos about 10 minutes after opening time, the car-park was pretty full and the shop filled with people with mounded shopping baskets, they seem to be just picking stuff up at random. The latest shortage is now bin bags, all sizes... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2020 I succumbed ... 2 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 2 hours ago, polybear said: Make a cup of Tea, save the bag. Same again the next time. Then use two used bags for Tea No. 3 - a bit less milk required (good job, under the circumstances...) but perfectly drinkable. Use a Courier - they'll even collect from you. Much cheaper for heavy stuff: https://www.parcel2go.com/ And when the tea-bag finally loses virtually all colour and flavour, dry it out; any French friends might appreciate it, as it'll still be stronger than anything they can get.... 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 16 minutes ago, cctransuk said: I doubt that they'd be interested - what law do you think that he is breaking? John Isherwood. Street trading without a licence. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2020 30 minutes ago, TheQ said: B+Q do the same PVA for Near enough the same price Same company 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 3 minutes ago, jonny777 said: Street trading without a licence. Only applies if the local authority has declared the street in question a restricted street - very few are. (I formerly administered Cambridge City Council's Street Trading Licences). John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2020 I went to the local Tesco at 9-30 , this is a day when the between 9-00 and 10-00 they are more senior friendly to give us a chance , it was more rammed than a normal Saturday before the panic buying started . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 9 minutes ago, cctransuk said: Only applies if the local authority has declared the street in question a restricted street - very few are. (I formerly administered Cambridge City Council's Street Trading Licences). John Isherwood. Obviously different standards in Cambridge to Birmingham, https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/street-trading Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2020 2 hours ago, polybear said: Make a cup of Tea, save the bag. Same again the next time. Then use two used bags for Tea No. 3 - a bit less milk required (good job, under the circumstances...) but perfectly drinkable. Only problem is that there's hardly any caffine left - Dad was told not to throw away his existing tea bags when advised to go caffine free - Add boiling water to tea bag, wait 10 seconds and pour water away, refill and continue to brew. Apparently most of the caffine comes out in the first 5 to 10 secs. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastglosmog Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 2 hours ago, polybear said: Make a cup of Tea, save the bag. Same again the next time. Then use two used bags for Tea No. 3 - a bit less milk required (good job, under the circumstances...) but perfectly drinkable. ....................... Old student bodges come in useful again! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 21 minutes ago, Sidecar Racer said: I went to the local Tesco at 9-30 , this is a day when the between 9-00 and 10-00 they are more senior friendly to give us a chance , it was more rammed than a normal Saturday before the panic buying started . It makes the pre Christmas shopping days look civilised! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2020 Our Aldi in Newport seemed a bit more civilised today. Things like UHT, tins & long coded products are stripped out, but bread & fresh milk are doing OK. In the absence of toilet rolls, the enterprising shop staff have put cut flowers instead. The middle aisles are normally well-stocked with plastic windmills, bongo drums and triple packs of spirit levels are selling well. This years spaghetti harvest looks to be a bumper crop, but with no-one to collect it, things are none too bright. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2020 On 16/03/2020 at 23:04, newbryford said: Last week apparently. Yep looks like I missed it again Whats with these people seriously . Not a drop of washing up liquid to be had in Erskine . What are they doing with it all? Having baths in it ? As a result a penny of my fairy is going to have to go a bloody long way! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 20 hours ago, admiles said: I knew someone would chirp up with that little gem. Not quite so easy with two working parents and a child who has never had re-usable nappies. He is mid-way through potty training any only has a nappy now overnight. He's a very poor sleeper so anything new isn't going to help. Edit: incidentally what do you do in the few days before ordering said cloth nappies and them being delivered? No Mothercare or similar any more. Oh wait until all the toilet paper substitutes ………… wet wipes, kitchen roll, copies of the Daily Mail and its inflammatory headlines, etc ends up blocking the sewage system ……… 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 On 19/03/2020 at 07:51, Baby Deltic said: Unbelievable! You'd be better off stocking up on 60 grit sand paper or foraging for dock leaves. If you pre-scrunch it a bit before applying to the affected area that does impart some degree of softness flexibility 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR-fan Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 (edited) In Australia there are two main supermarket chains, Woolworths and Coles. Today Coles management stated that to date the stock turnover in this crisis is the equivalent to three Christmas periods. Coles have also set up a temporary second distribution wharehouse to cater for the extra demand in Sydney. An oddity that I have found is that while there has been no shortage of cat food, until this morning I have not seen kitty litter for weeks. What litter available this morning was the very expensive brand not the generic store brand. Now I am hoping that the scarcity in supply of kitty litter has nothing to do with there being no toilet paper. What are these people using the kitty litter for? The mind boggles. Other non perishable scarcities are tinned food, cereals, pasta, rice, vinegar, noodles, washing up liquid, washing powder, toothpaste, toothbrushes, coffee, tea, teabags, onions, tissues, handi-towels, plastic cling wrap film, baking paper. Edited March 20, 2020 by GWR-fan Additional info Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2020 (edited) I think we urgently need controls on who is allowed to shop where. Our local Tesco branch is repeatedly being raided by people who not only don't know where various things are but even by those who don't know the route into the flippin' car park. Net result although restocking appears to be a relatively normal levels for many things stuff is going out in greater quantities and at a faster rate than normal. Although the organisation is excellent such as allowing in wrinklies ahead of the queue when there is a queue to get in and today having an express queue to the checkouts for over 70s and strict social distancing at the checkouts themselves the one thing they are not doing is limiting the customers to 'regulars only' - probably in a bid to avoid riots or physical violence to their staff. But it seems pretty clear to me that there won't be a return to 'normal' shopping unless some stricter controls are enforced nationally and people are only allowed to shop locally and sti ore loyalty cards are used to enforce that. and of course people moving miles for shopping are also potentially spreading infection so it's a double whammy. Is this the first time a double negative hasn't resulted in a positive? Edited March 20, 2020 by The Stationmaster 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2020 My brothers other half works in a Supermarket in Devon. She said that staff are getting a lot of abuse from shoppers. They are also concerned by the number of people that come into the store coughing a lot plus the sheer number of people. I don't normally agree with Mr Martin of Spoons but I can see his point when he said its probably safer in the pub than supermarket at present. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 1 hour ago, jonny777 said: Obviously different standards in Cambridge to Birmingham, https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/street-trading I would refer my honourable friend to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982; Schedule 4. Clearly, Birmingham has declared the entire city to be a controlled zone - which some authorities choose to do. It does create an awful lot of admin. work though; along with the fees from licences. The fees have to be a reflection of the costs of administering the scheme. Regards, John Isherwood. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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