Tesco superstore in Hull to install outdoor barriers after huge crowds gathered over weekend

A Tesco superstore is to install outdoor barriers to enforce socialdistancing after issues with enormous crowds during the coronavirusoutbreak.

The store at St Stephen's Centre in Hull, East Yorkshire, is bringingin new measures from today.

An urgent meeting took place on Sunday between St Stephen's shoppingcentre management and Tesco after huge crowds gathered outside thestore on Sunday morning.

The superstore opened early for NHS workers so they could get theessential items they needed after working long shifts.

Tesco announced that on Sunday's - all Tesco stores (except Express stores) will offer a priority browsing hour from 10am before checkouts open for NHS workers.

However, such was the demand on Sunday, there was a major breach ofthe social distancing measures brought in by the Government.

The guidance in place is that everyone should remain two metres apart, but the crowds outside the store were crammed together as they waited to get in.

The new measures are as follows:

A barrier system will be erected in front of the store main entranceallowing single-file queuing and staff will ensure waiting shoppersare standing 2 metres apart

In addition, and to help natural customer separation, Tesco will make100 shopping trolleys available externally to the store entrance andcustomers will be encouraged to take a trolley before joining thequeue

The spokesman for St Stephen’s said: “We will keep these initialmeasures under active review and add additional actions as required.”

Tesco, and other supermarkets, have brought in measures - such aslimiting certain items per person, reducing opening times andproviding slots for NHS workers and the elderly - due to shelvesrunning empty with demand for products skyrocketing as customers panicbuy.