Coronavirus: Responsible shopping in Peterborough praised despite long delays

Supermarkets and shoppers in Peterborough have been praised for orderly queues and sticking to social distancing measures.

Stores across Peterborough have seen long queues today (Thursday, March 26) as shoppers line up to purchase essential items.

Tape marks out 2 metre sections on the floor to implement social distancing measures at a Tesco store in Peterborough, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wireplaceholder image
Tape marks out 2 metre sections on the floor to implement social distancing measures at a Tesco store in Peterborough, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Shops and supermarkets have introduced a number of measures to ensure shoppers follow social distancing and coronavirus lockdown guidelines.

City councillor Julie Howell said her husband had visited Sainsbury’s in Bretton and found the situation well orgaised.

A man with a trolley wears protective gloves as he queues at the checkout of a Tesco store in Peterborough. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wireplaceholder image
A man with a trolley wears protective gloves as he queues at the checkout of a Tesco store in Peterborough. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Cllr Howell, who represents the Orton Waterville ward, said in a tweet: “Mr J left for the Sainsbury’s in Bretton three hours ago. He says everyone is being brilliant about staying apart, but the process of shopping is obviously far slower than normal so do factor that in if you need to do a big shop.”

Orderly queues with shoppers kept apart and tape markes on the floor to allow safe distance shopping were a feature of supermarkets across the city.

One shopper in Tesco in Werrington told the PT: “It is taking a very long time but it is well organised and staff are very helpful. People are co-operating and it’s being well handled.”

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