Filling her shopping basket with Christmas cards in a central London department store glittering with baubles and tinsel, 84-year-old Marie Thomas was “fed up”.
She was among a scattering of shoppers rushing to buy festive goodies Monday as England is set to close all “non-essential” stores for four weeks from Thursday, as part of new lockdown measures to cut soaring infection rates.
While many shoppers said they supported the measures, Thomas and others said they resented the lockdown, which comes just as shops geared up for the pre-Christmas rush.
“When we’ve finished the lockdown, the virus is still going to be out there, so where’s it getting us?” said Thomas, who wore a facemask.
“I’m doing my Christmas shopping, you can see my cards, because they’re closing, you can’t go anywhere after Wednesday.”
“Let’s hope we still get Christmas,” she said, adding that she hoped to celebrate with her large family including great-grandchildren.
