Gail's - no masks on staff - how come?

Been into Gail's in Dulwich Village twice in the last week, and each time there were staff members not wearing masks. First time it was someone behind the counter, and second time it was a different person behind the counter and some kind of manager doing the books at one of the tables. The second server had a badge saying something like "I'm exempt from masks".

I understand there are some people exempted from wearing face masks for health reasons...but it seems a remarkable coincidence that so many work at the same shop. Even if they are exempt in their ordinary life - seems like in the middle of a global pandemic it would be a legitimate requirement of the job to wear a face covering when handling food and drink in a busy cafe. If you can't do that bit of the job, maybe you shouldn't be allowed to work there? You wouldn't get hired as a firefighter if you couldn't put the helmet on...

Why are you going there anyway? Is it an essential journey or work? Are you doing your weekly food shop or using it as an excuse to get out of the house? Perhaps look into your own conduct before worrying about others.

I walk past that shop everyday at work & it's always packed, we are in lockdown, those people who dont seem to own kettles treat it like a coffee club with little regard for the rules so why should the staff?

Dulwich Village feels like you're entering the Twighlight Zone where lockdown is a fantasy, walk down there on a Saturday to see how little people care, you yourself, having gone there twice should not be throwing stones from inside your glass house.

I think that was a bit harsh, Freddo. And it's kind of a straw-man argument... just because you disagree with some people's conduct, it doesn't mean staff should not be pulled up for not wearing masks.

Going out to buy some fresh bread, for instance, is still OK. Unless we are suggesting that only supermarkets should be open.

Although I suppose I do agree that less people should be milling around drinking takeaway coffees, etc, just for a form of entertainment.

I'd suggest you avoid the crowds and buy from a small/indy business.

Opposite Gail's is Romeo Jones, super place. Always felt safe using them and they are always masked up. Fab staff

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

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> Been into Gail's in Dulwich Village twice in the

> last week, and each time there were staff members

> not wearing masks. First time it was someone

> behind the counter, and second time it was a

> different person behind the counter and some kind

> of manager doing the books at one of the tables.

> The second server had a badge saying something

> like "I'm exempt from masks".

>

> I understand there are some people exempted from

> wearing face masks for health reasons...but it

> seems a remarkable coincidence that so many work

> at the same shop. Even if they are exempt in their

> ordinary life - seems like in the middle of a

> global pandemic it would be a legitimate

> requirement of the job to wear a face covering

> when handling food and drink in a busy cafe. If

> you can't do that bit of the job, maybe you

> shouldn't be allowed to work there? You wouldn't

> get hired as a firefighter if you couldn't put the

> helmet on...

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Been into Gail's in Dulwich Village twice in the

> last week, and each time there were staff members

> not wearing masks. First time it was someone

> behind the counter, and second time it was a

> different person behind the counter and some kind

> of manager doing the books at one of the tables.

> The second server had a badge saying something

> like "I'm exempt from masks".

>

> I understand there are some people exempted from

> wearing face masks for health reasons...but it

> seems a remarkable coincidence that so many work

> at the same shop. Even if they are exempt in their

> ordinary life - seems like in the middle of a

> global pandemic it would be a legitimate

> requirement of the job to wear a face covering

> when handling food and drink in a busy cafe. If

> you can't do that bit of the job, maybe you

> shouldn't be allowed to work there? You wouldn't

> get hired as a firefighter if you couldn't put the

> helmet on...

Since it bothers you so much why didn't you raise it with the manager in the shop mentioned?

I'm not defending Gails by any means but you say you witnessed the non wearing of masks on two occasions then came on the forum to complain.

Perhaps you should have gone to the person in charge to complain on the spot then emailed head office?

THEN posted on this forum if upon a third visit things hadn't changed.

Also considering their customers probably dont mainly come from ED (we have enough bread and coffee shops in and around Lordship lane thank you very much) posting this won't actually make any difference to their behaviour or their takings.

Freddo Wrote:

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> Why are you going there anyway? Is it an essential

> journey or work? Are you doing your weekly food

> shop or using it as an excuse to get out of the

> house? Perhaps look into your own conduct before

> worrying about others.

>

> I walk past that shop everyday at work & it's

> always packed, we are in lockdown, those people

> who dont seem to own kettles treat it like a

> coffee club with little regard for the rules so

> why should the staff?

>

> Dulwich Village feels like you're entering the

> Twighlight Zone where lockdown is a fantasy, walk

> down there on a Saturday to see how little people

> care, you yourself, having gone there twice should

> not be throwing stones from inside your glass

> house.

I went there to buy bread because it's the closest place to my house to buy bread. I don't know anyone that does a weekly shop at a bakery 🤣

I prefer Romeo Jones but by the time they open in the morning I have to be at work, earning money and paying tax.

@NewWave: the manager also wasn't wearing a face covering...

There's a shop over the road that sells bread, it's open all hours so you had the option to avoid the crowds at Gails, I don't doubt you were not doing your weekly shop, that is the problem, the lockdown rules are easily manipulated.....

Live & let live, no one likes a Mask Nazi, all you can do is make sure you follow the rules without trying to bend them so you can sleep well at night, the alternative is to shop elsewhere, use the extra walking time as your exercise.

I don't get your argument against people visiting Gail's Freddo? If it's allowed to be open (which it is), then you can't get cross at customers turning up?

The issue of it being busy is separate to staff following the law around mask wearing.

Shop staff absolutely should be wearing masks. Trying to deflect blame to the customer is really bloody weird.

Freddo Wrote:

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I don't doubt you were not

> doing your weekly shop, that is the problem, the

> lockdown rules are easily manipulated.....

It's not against the lockdown rules to buy bread.....not really sure what you're on about mate.....

If people are exempt from wearing masks, they can wear visors which will give some protection.

Pugwash Wrote:

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> If people are exempt from wearing masks, they can

> wear visors which will give some protection.

They don't have to though, and they shouldn't be forced to.

God I hate and despise the mask facists.

jimlad48 Wrote:

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>

> They don't have to though, and they shouldn't be

> forced to.

>

> God I hate and despise the mask facists.

Wearing a mask protects others from catching YOUR germs if you have the virus and are asympomatic.

I H**E and D*****E people like YOU who are contributing to the rediculous death toll in this country and the loss of many thousands of jobs and businesses.

You are selfish and ignorant.

I wear a mask for 12 hours a day at work and on my daily commute-I hate wearing a mask but I would hate even more knowing that I may unwittingly infect someone who goes on to lose their life or that of a loved one because I "dont want to wear a mask'

Friends of mine have lost their jobs, Friends of mine have lost family members-And people like YOU JIMLAD48 make me feel nauseous

A fascist willingly contributes to the death of others

I?d been wearing a mask whenever I was outdoors as I wouldn?t want to unwittingly pass on Covid. Wearing the mask isn?t something to just do but on balance I thought it was worth it. When the Covid alert level reduced from 5 to 4 I was going to stop wearing it outside as a general rule but there is a block of flats at the end of our estate that workers at the hospital live in and I?ve seen a number of them still wearing masks so I?ve carried on.

If you are concerned about a shop point it out to the Manager and then decide, based on their response, if you are going to carry on shopping there. Even businesses that have been able to stay open have seen a drop in trade.

Stay safe everyone

NewWave Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> jimlad48 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > They don't have to though, and they shouldn't

> be

> > forced to.

> >

> > God I hate and despise the mask facists.

>

> Wearing a mask protects others from catching YOUR

> germs if you have the virus and are asympomatic.

> I H**E and D*****E people like YOU who are

> contributing to the rediculous death toll in this

> country and the loss of many thousands of jobs and

> businesses.

> You are selfish and ignorant.

> I wear a mask for 12 hours a day at work and on my

> daily commute-I hate wearing a mask but I would

> hate even more knowing that I may unwittingly

> infect someone who goes on to lose their life or

> that of a loved one because I "dont want to wear a

> mask'

> Friends of mine have lost their jobs, Friends of

> mine have lost family members-And people like YOU

> JIMLAD48 make me feel nauseous

I wear my mask where I need to actually you terribly judgemental person.

What I despise is the horrid nasty people who go out of their way to shame people who may have perfectly good reasons for not wearing one. Its your judgemental attitude trying to shame people, who have done nothing wrong, and in the process shame business struggling to survive for the sake of the perceived moral high ground.

Given that most of the area is practically COVID free, those that are vulnerable are vaccinated, and those who aren't have little to fear, perhaps we could lose the creeping fascism of shaming those who cannot avoid being different and accept that the world isn't going to end, that actually the risk is incredibly low, and that we need to get on with our lives, and not act in terror of something that poses very little threat to most people now due to vaccines and age profiles.

Instead we're seeing people shaming individuals who may have personal circumstances that mean they can't wear one, and that we should publicly shame and humiliate them for the crime of being different. Thats a really horrid thing to do - to target someone for no reason other than your own prejudice and desire to be outraged that people may not be able to conform, even if they desperately want to. 'Adhere and belong or be shamed' - that sort of attitude would fit in well in Berlin in the late 1930s. Its not nice, its a horrible way to isolate and shame people who have done nothing wrong - don't assume that because people aren't wearing, they are somehow doing something wrong.

.

jimlad48 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> NewWave Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > jimlad48 Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> >

> > >

> > > They don't have to though, and they shouldn't

> > be

> > > forced to.

> > >

> > > God I hate and despise the mask facists.

> >

> > Wearing a mask protects others from catching

> YOUR

> > germs if you have the virus and are

> asympomatic.

> > I H**E and D*****E people like YOU who are

> > contributing to the rediculous death toll in

> this

> > country and the loss of many thousands of jobs

> and

> > businesses.

> > You are selfish and ignorant.

> > I wear a mask for 12 hours a day at work and on

> my

> > daily commute-I hate wearing a mask but I would

> > hate even more knowing that I may unwittingly

> > infect someone who goes on to lose their life

> or

> > that of a loved one because I "dont want to wear

> a

> > mask'

> > Friends of mine have lost their jobs, Friends

> of

> > mine have lost family members-And people like

> YOU

> > JIMLAD48 make me feel nauseous

>

> I wear my mask where I need to actually you

> terribly judgemental person.

>

> What I despise is the horrid nasty people who go

> out of their way to shame people who may have

> perfectly good reasons for not wearing one. Its

> your judgemental attitude trying to shame people,

> who have done nothing wrong, and in the process

> shame business struggling to survive for the sake

> of the perceived moral high ground.

>

> Given that most of the area is practically COVID

> free, those that are vulnerable are vaccinated,

> and those who aren't have little to fear, perhaps

> we could lose the creeping fascism of shaming

> those who cannot avoid being different and accept

> that the world isn't going to end, that actually

> the risk is incredibly low, and that we need to

> get on with our lives, and not act in terror of

> something that poses very little threat to most

> people now due to vaccines and age profiles.

>

> Instead we're seeing people shaming individuals

> who may have personal circumstances that mean they

> can't wear one, and that we should publicly shame

> and humiliate them for the crime of being

> different. Thats a really horrid thing to do - to

> target someone for no reason other than your own

> prejudice and desire to be outraged that people

> may not be able to conform, even if they

> desperately want to. 'Adhere and belong or be

> shamed' - that sort of attitude would fit in well

> in Berlin in the late 1930s. Its not nice, its a

> horrible way to isolate and shame people who have

> done nothing wrong - don't assume that because

> people aren't wearing, they are somehow doing

> something wrong.

>

>

>

> .

I wasn't commenting on those exempted from wearing a mask.

and I was not the OP complaining about staff not wearing masks in Gails.

My comment was in direct response to your comment about people 'dont have to wear masks and visors and they shouldn't be forced to'

If people are NOT exempt they should be reminded that it is mandatory to wear a mask in a shop or on public transport.

However as you correctly state we cannot 'force' anyone to do anything however I would hope that respect for the health and safety of others would prevail.

You came across in your post as an anti mask wearer and if I misunderstood I apologise.

"My comment was in direct response to your comment about people 'dont have to wear masks and visors and they shouldn't be forced to'"

I think you misunderstood my entire point.

My post was making the point that not all people have to wear masks and visors, and it is totally inappropriate to expect someone who shouldn't have to to call them out for doing so. I am very tired of mask shaming, and constant attacks in some quarters against people who have done nothing wrong by not wearing a mask.

jimlad48 Wrote:

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> My post was making the point that not all people

> have to wear masks and visors, and it is totally

> inappropriate to expect someone who shouldn't have

> to to call them out for doing so.

Yes but people working in a shop DO need to wear them. So it's a moot point. You're arguing for no reason.

If a shop worker is unable to wear a mask for medical reasons, then I'm afraid to say that they need to be furloughed, or at least moved to a role which is not public facing.

Your claims of "fascism" would be laughable... if it wasn't such a serious issue. It's about *collective responsibility* to save lives, and also striving to keep businesses open safely. 125K dead so far in the UK. Intensive care units overflowing until a few weeks ago. The risk is not "incredibly low"...

jimlad48 Wrote:

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we're seeing people shaming individuals

> who may have personal circumstances that mean they

> can't wear one, and that we should publicly shame

> and humiliate them for the crime of being

> different.

If Gail's has employees that can't wear face coverings, then maybe it shouldn't be assigning them a job that involves handling food and interacting with hundreds of people every day in the middle of a pandemic.

For what it's worth, I would also be disappointed if Gail's let a bleeding hemophiliac knead dough with bare hands or let a blind person drive its delivery vans.

I think the "I can't wear a mask because I am X, Y or Z" is overplayed. I think it is the fear of what may happen than the reality, which is fair enough as we have never been in such a situation in our lifetimes before. Asthma sufferers have been wearing them, as have those with other lung conditions and have been tweeting about how they are managing easily with a mask, so I would expect an employer to think about the collective responsibility of all of us and push back a little against those who say they must not ever wear a thin, surgical mask. I am sceptical that all the people I have seen not wearing them or saying they are exempt have actually tried to work or take a bus with one on just to see how it works out. (Cue lots of people saying they are all not in those categories...)

Isn't the point that if staff in Gails are exempt then they don't have to wear a mask and Gails is perfectly within the rules to still employ them and have them serve customers? You may not like that but them's the rules.....so don't go in if your personal view is that this isn't ok.

Nigello- I'm going to take the bait on this one......it is often forgotten that mental health issues make up a huge percentage of people who do not wear masks.

My point is that discomfort is felt by all, some more than most, but very few people really *cannot* wear a mask, and that includes those with "phobias" etc. Accommodating someone's discomfort is less important than stopping an easily transmissible virus from getting around, and all that entails. It's tough, but not as tough as being on an ICU or in a coffin. (Gail's is not my cup of tea, so I have no idea what they do in there.)

I work in a shop and we are are working through the Lockdown dealing with online orders and telephone orders whilst the store is closed-We all wear masks all day except some staff members who are exempted for medical reasons and they HAVE to wear a badge or some have a laminated sign they wear on a lanyard-this rule has been laid out by our health and safety team.

This was also the case when the store was open, although one of those staff members chose to wear a visor when facing the public as he felt more commutable that way.

The people that I object to are the muppets who just dont want to wear a mask or think its somehow macho or 'cool' not to do so.

Your response and inverted commas indicates that you really have a limited idea about what mental health issues look like, how they manifest, the range of symptoms and how debilitating they are. Not to mention those who have experienced trauma.

You may think the number of people with mental health problems are low and that it's a case of tolerating a little bit of discomfort.

Both of these assumptions are a long way from the reality and those people who do suffer from mental health problems are subjected to this kind of invalidation, dismissiveness, judgement and side-lining daily.

I have no idea what is going on with the staff in Gails but I do know that if they are exempt from wearing masks for any reason then they are within the rules and folk can make their own mind up whether to shop there or not.

Nigello Wrote:

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> My point is that discomfort is felt by all, some

> more than most, but very few people really

> *cannot* wear a mask, and that includes those with

> "phobias" etc. Accommodating someone's discomfort

> is less important than stopping an easily

> transmissible virus from getting around, and all

> that entails. It's tough, but not as tough as

> being on an ICU or in a coffin. (Gail's is not my

> cup of tea, so I have no idea what they do in

> there.)