Covid marshals appointed by Bristol City Council reported issues with queuing customers at several shops in inspections carried out since last November.
The marshal scheme, recently extended to at least March, sees the team patrol the city and provide advice to people and businesses on keeping safe from the virus.
Up to mid-September this year, the marshals had carried out 17,873 inspections.
Following a request under the Freedom of Information Act request, Bristol City Council has disclosed a full list of businesses inspected, and issues and breaches identified.
In our first series of disclosures from the catalogue of reports, we focus on queuing and social distancing management guidance.
Under Government guidelines for employers, issued in November last year, businesses were asked to manage outside queues to reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19.
It included introducing queuing systems, having staff direct customers and protecting waiting customers from traffic.
However, issues were discovered at shops across Bristol, although most were minor and required only advice from the marshals or ‘appropriate materials’ handed out, said the city council.
Here are the locations where queue and distancing management guidance was not being followed:
1. Primark, Broadmead
Primark, in Broadmead, received three visits from marshals - on December 10, 2020, April 25, 2021 and May 1, 2021. In the first visit, all queue and distancing guidelines were being followed. But in the two visits this year, shortly after the store reopened on April 12, a number were reported as not being followed by the marshals. They included the business not managing the queue, the queue not being orderly and people not social distancing while in line. Primark were approached by BristolWorld, but is yet to respond. Photo: BristolWorld
2. Lidl
Queue and distancing management guidelines were not followed at two Lidl stores across Bristol. In inspections at Lidl supermarkets in Lawrence Hill and Lawrence Weston (pictured) in March this year, at both stores people were recorded as not social distancing while queuing up. A comment left by a marshal on the visit to the Lawrence Hill store read ‘people refusing to wear mask in store for no reason’. While a note on the visit to the Lawrence Weston site read ‘staff not wearing mask in shop properly’. A Lidl spokesperson said the chain implemented a range of social distancing measures across its stores at the height of the pandemic. They added: "This included positioning designated team members at entrances during peak times to regulate customer numbers and to remind those not wearing a face covering of the government guidance and their own responsibility to keep themselves and others safe. "A raft of clear communication reminding customers of the importance of maintaining a two-metre distance from each other when shopping was also in place, including floor markings in stores to mark a safe distance, as well as regular audio announcements." Photo: Google Maps
3. Home Bargains, Ashley Down
In a visit to Home Bargains in Petherbridge Way, marshals reported that the business was not actively managing its queue. However, queuing shoppers were recorded as social distancing and wearing facemasks in the inspection on April 5. Photo: Google Maps
4. Aldi, Southville
Marshalls inspected Aldi in Southville on February 18. They found the store was not actively managing its queues. They also said queues were not orderly and that people were not social distancing or wearing facemasks while lining up. It was also noted that the queue into the store was interfering with the entrance of another business. Aldi was approached for comment by BristolWorld. Photo: Google Maps