Is Face Coverings In Shops Compulsory

[nailit]

Just been into my local corner shop (with mask on) and no other customers were wearing them.
Queried it with the shop assistant who told me that the owner had decided that he was leaving it up to the customers whether to wear one or not.
Also been reported in my local rag that many big name stores are refusing to 'police' customers who dont wear a face covering.

So is this thing *law* or simply guidline's with threat of a fine?
(And how can you be fined for dismissing a 'guidline'?
Thanks.

[nailit]

237
//It's a regulation. Not a law//
Chris's post at the start of this thread indicates that its a law.

[Vagus]

Wear one or don’t wear one. It’s as much about your conscience as it is about the ‘law’.
Wear one and protect others. Others wear one and protect you.
I really dislike wearing a mask but will do so happily as I really, really feel it’s my duty to do so.
Others can do as they wish, I will avoid anyone not wearing a mask.

[THECORBYLOON]

NAILIT, it is a legal requirement to wear a face covering in shops in England unless one of the exemptions applies.

It is definitely the law and definitely not guidance.

What I don't understand is why store managers are not responsible for enforcing the legislation. If a manager fails to prevent a customer in his or her store from smoking, the manager commits an offence.

If folk had been given more time to obtain evidence they satisfy one of the exemptions, there would be no reason for managers not enforcing this new law.

[237SJ]

Nailit - look at the heading of that link

[Neveracrossword]

Nailit, the terminology, regulation or law, isn't hugely important. There are two main types of legislation. Primary is Acts of Parliament, statutes. secondary is Statutory Instruments, often called Codes, Orders, Regulations or Rules.

[Vagus]

If I was a shop/store owner, I would have a sign up at the door telling potential customers that unless they wear a mask if they set foot inside my shop then I will be unable to serve them.
If they did come into my shop and brought something to the till to pay for, then again, I would say I couldn’t serve them.
No aggression, just a simple refusal, which, as a shop owner, I am entitled to do.

[ichkeria]

It depends how strongly you feel about it.
Common sense would suggest a friendly reminder if you’re they way inclined rather than alienating your customers. After all very few people were wearing them up until today. The only thing that has changed is the law

[nailit]

//Wear one or don’t wear one. It’s as much about your conscience as it is about the ‘law//
Rubbish! The law is the law, its not about individual conscience.
Im asking a question about (what seems to be) a questionable law/guidence....and is it even a law at all?

[nailit]

//It depends how strongly you feel about it.//
Since when has the law depended on strong I feel about it?
Is it enforceble or not?

[Vagus]

Thank you nailit, that’s the last time I will contribute to one of your threads.

[THECORBYLOON]

As CHRIS said in the first post, the legislation is The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) Regulations 2020.

[nailit]

Vagus

//If I was a shop/store owner, I would have a sign up at the door telling potential customers that unless they wear a mask if they set foot inside my shop then I will be unable to serve them.
If they did come into my shop and brought something to the till to pay for, then again, I would say I couldn’t serve them.
No aggression, just a simple refusal, which, as a shop owner, I am entitled to do.//

Which would be your right to do, obviously!
But has nothing to do with the question.

[nailit]

//Thank you nailit, that’s the last time I will contribute to one of your threads//
No skin of my nose son.

[THECORBYLOON]

You're questioning managers' attitudes to this legislation and VAGUS was giving an example of what managers could do.

Is that not relevant to the question?

[douglas9401]

"What kind of *law* is this?"

The half-arsed kind of course, like the rest of it.

Now get me one of those 20,000 new bobbies please.

[ichkeria]

“ Since when has the law depended on strong I feel about it?
Is it enforceble or not?”

It depends what you mean by “enforceable”.
It is in the sense that you can be fined for not complying. But I’d have thought that in practical terms it’s not because you can’t literally force people to wear them.
Most people will comply I’m sure. Some people will be challenged. A few people might get fined.
You can see the reasoning behind it by what’s happening in N Ireland, where the health minister there has said that, if under voluntary system as now 70-80% of people don’t wear one then it’s time to bring in legislation. So as I said earlier the idea is to use the threat of the law and peer pressure to get the numbers up. The fact that there is little anyone can or will do to enforce “proper” mask wearing is just something they’ll have to live with

[nailit]

To just reiterate.... (have I got this right)
Wearing of face coverings is mandatory (except where its not)
Its OK to NOT wear a face covering if you have an exemption.(except where its not)
You only have to say that you are exempt, no proof given.
Police say that they cannot/will not police this
(why not...its a criminal act, isnt it)??

[Old_Geezer]

It's law, but merchants aren't going to turn away custom, and act as unpaid police, based on a paranoid government's control freakery; if they've any sense at all. Customer goodwill and repeat custom are the life blood of many shops.

[Old_Geezer]

"why not...its a criminal act, isnt it"

Because they have better things to occupy their time, like pointing revenue guns at folk going 21+ in a ridiculous 20 mph limit revenue collecting stretch of road.

[Old_Geezer]

Masks are not that much protection, virus gets through the gaping holes in the weave; life isn't supposed to be 100% safe. Volunteer to wear one because you can't cope with life, then fine, forced to be wearing one is utterly unacceptable in a free society.