Coronavirus kindness: Constantine Bay's early-morning shopping club

The club aims to allow older people to shop "exclusively and with confidence"

A grocers is offering early-morning shopping sessions only for people born in 1950 or before.

The Constantine Bay Stores near Padstow in Cornwall wants older people to be able to shop "exclusively and with confidence".

Each day between 08:00 and 08:30, the shop will open its doors only to those in this age bracket.

The owner said he hoped it would "give them a little bit of peace of mind" in the fight against coronavirus.

Older people are more likely to be very ill if infected, the NHS says.

Shielding the elderly from coronavirus is one measure being considered by the government.

Christopher Keeble, the shop's owner, said: "We really noticed last week some of the older people feeling a bit vulnerable and scared about what is going to happen.

"So we have come up with this over the weekend to give them a little bit of peace of mind."

Shop surfaces and door handles will be sanitised first thing, the shop-owner says

The shop will sanitise surfaces and door handles each day before opening at 08:00.

The new arrangement started on Monday and Mr Keeble said about 12 older people had already made use of it.

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"Some of them were existing customers and there were a couple of others who heard about it. Everyone was saying they think it is a good idea."

He said they did not have to turn anyone away but "if a builder turns up wanting a sausage roll before 08:30 we can still serve them through the service hatch in the wall".

The club is being trialled for five days but "given the reaction today it is likely to be extended", Mr Keeble said.

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