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Panicked shoppers were “packed like sardines” in Manchester as they raced to buy Christmas gifts before the impending closing.
Visitors to the Trafford Center said the mall was “crashed” as eager locals tried to buy what they could before the new restrictions.
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Shocking footage showed scenes of chaos as customers queued for shops in the busy center.
Huge lines also formed at Costco in Manchester as millions of anxious Northerners fear being mired in a new local lockdown.
New stricter rules are established that order people not to mix inside and outside in the most affected parts of the country.
Pubs, non-essential shops and beauty salons could also be closed in the severe regional lockdown as coronavirus cases rise in northern England.
Horrified shoppers took to Twitter to complain about “chaos” at the Trafford Center yesterday.
One wrote: “I’m at the Trafford Center. Damn horrible #nosocialdistancing #noorganisation #notcomingback.”
Another said: “Really uncomfortable with the amount of people at the Trafford Center @ManCityCouncil # overcrowded.
One commented: “Trafford Center is jammed, parking lots full. I don’t
I know what the answer is, but this doesn’t feel quite right. “
While one person said: “Trafford Center is totally out of control today. No
crowd control, track / trace, social distancing or cleanliness. Compared to
hospitality felt very unsafe. “
A staff member said shoppers flooded the mall to do their Christmas shopping now in case the stores close.
She told the MEN: “I am horrified.
“The Northwest has a high infection rate and the use of masks is minimal.
“The people walking were crowded together like sardines and the parking lots
at full capacity.
“The footfall is due to bad weather and is becoming a center
because people can’t meet at home, so they come here.
“He’s as busy now as at Christmas.”
The Trafford Center has urged visitors to wear face masks while indoors and only go to the mall with those they live with or are in a bubble of support.
A spokesperson said: “The safety of all who visit intu Trafford Center remains our highest priority.
“We have a series of measures in place to ensure that we stay safe and
adhere to official guidelines, including a rigorous cleaning regimen,
capacity limits, hand sanitizing points, a one-way system and more
staff in shopping malls to reassure people and provide guidance.
“We encourage anyone with questions or concerns to speak with a member
of our team. We will always do our best to help. “
Boris Johnson is scheduled to announce a new three-tier system tomorrow in a bid to halt the rapid rise in coronavirus cases across the county.
It means that ten million Northerners could be back under a tougher lockdown by entering Level 3 of the plans.
Areas with a low infection rate will be placed at ‘Tier 1’, where only national restrictions such as the Rule of Six and the 10pm curfew will apply at hospitality venues.
Regions at ‘Level Two’ will see a ban on home visiting and indoor socializing with other households.
And ‘Level Three’ will see the most serious measures, including a total closure of the hospitality sector and a ban on overnight stays away from home.
Reports also suggest that at the top tier, domestic mixing will not be allowed, affecting millions of people living in areas with high rates of Covid-19 across England.
Leaders from across northern England have criticized the plans, accusing the government of treating the region as “second class.”
Tory Bolton Council Leader David Greenhalgh said in Andrew Marr this morning: “I am urging the government to listen again, please listen again to the voice.
“The North feels like they are being treated differently. We know our rates are high, we don’t underestimate that … but we can’t throw our local economy to the wolves.”
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