Letter to the editor:
I would like to draw attention to the fact that there are still shops open in Southport selling non-essential goods.
One of the main culprits is the Range, which is not only unjustifiably remaining open but is also profiteering from the crisis.
The Range Southport does not sell anything that could be considered essential yet the management are not only keeping the shop open, thereby exposing their staff to great risk, but positively encouraging people into the store.
They have had recent sales of non-essential items such as lighting, bedding and even sent a message to NHS staff offering them a 10% discount thereby luring the most infected and hazardous cohort into the public arena.
This is not only irresponsible; it is immoral. One of the Range’s main product sales in the past few weeks has been hot tubs – essential items?
The Range have been very slow to introduce social distancing mechanisms and seems to have little regard for staff or the general public.
People are still visiting stores just to browse and are also entering in groups making social distancing difficult if not impossible.
A simple observation of those entering and leaving the store would soon reveal the extent of unnecessary visits.
Something should be done about this by either the council or police. There is no excuse for this behaviour – it is a public menace and a disgrace.
Council remove playground equipment from the Botanic Gardens, Southport