Covid: Long queues outside shops after lockdown a 'worry'

Shoppers flocked to high streets across Wales on Saturday and Sunday

It is a "worry" to see queues of people outside shops on the first weekend since Wales' latest lockdown ended, says a leading public health official.

Shoppers flocked to high streets across Wales on Saturday and Sunday, with long queues in some areas such as Cardiff.

Dr Giri Shankar, of Public Health Wales (PHW), expressed concern and urged people to act responsibly.

Business representatives said it is "uplifting" to see shops busy but safe at a "critical time of year".

Some businesses in Cardiff had been taken "by surprise" at the volume of people shopping in the city centre, according to Adrian Field, executive director of FOR Cardiff, the city's Business Improvement District.

Businesses had been "brilliant" at making it a safe experience for shoppers, business representative Adrian Field says

He put this down to "pent-up demand" and said businesses had been "brilliant" at making it a safe experience for customers.

Mr Field acknowledged there had been some "issues with capacity", but put this down to there being "more people around".

"I think we need to acknowledge the fact that the experience is a little bit different now," he added.

But Dr Shankar urged people to be mindful that "coronavirus hasn't gone away" and is "still circulating in the community".

Dr Shankar, incident director at PHW, says a safe Christmas is conditional on how people act now

"We do worry sometimes when we see such large numbers of queues outside restaurants, outside shopping centres, outside pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants," said Dr Shankar, who is incident director at PHW.

"We must also remember that all those interactions that happen now, in real time, the effects of that we will see in the next couple of weeks.

"Therefore if we are to have a really safe, enjoyable period around Christmas with our loved ones and families and friends, we have to act now so we can be safer in that period."

Christmas is a "critical time of year" for businesses, the Welsh Retail Consortium says

The body which represents Welsh retailers said it was encouraging to see shoppers "support high street shops across Wales".

"After a tough few weeks it's uplifting to see shops reopen at this critical time of year," said Sara Jones, head of the Welsh Retail Consortium.

"We are now in the crucial Christmas trading period which accounts for over a fifth of (annual) retail sales."