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Iceland and Co-Op won’t force customers to wear masks in store
Despite new rules on mask wearing in shops and on public transport coming into force this week, the supermarkets say staff won't force customers to comply
Responding to new rules coming into force around mask wearing, supermarket bosses at Co-Op and Iceland have both said that their staff won't force customers to wear masks when shopping in stores.
In spite of new Covid rules coming into force from Tuesday this week, the supermarkets have said they won't be asking staff to enforce them.
Citing the "long-term recovery of the high street", Iceland's managing director Richard Walker said his staff could not and should not be asked to intervene if they see a customer in the store who is not wearing a mask.
He added: "we need to continue to encourage people to shop in stores if they feel comfortable".
The Co-Op has also said it would not be enforcing the use of face coverings and that customers will not be refused service at checkouts if they are not wearing one, reports The Sun.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Walker said: "We fully support the reintroduction of compulsory face masks in shops, however, we won't be asking our store colleagues to police it.
"Our store teams, alongside all retail workers, have shown heroic efforts in terms of ensuring safety for customers and building back consumer confidence and it's crucial that we stay focused on the long-term recovery of the high street.
"We need to continue to encourage people to shop in stores if they feel comfortable, and I'm hopeful that the latest guidelines won't discourage customers from doing so."
What are the new rules on mask wearing in England?
The comments come in response to announcements made over the weekend that rules on mask-wearing will be made stricter from Tuesday, 30 November 2021.
The public will be required once again to wear masks on public transport and in shops, banks and post offices, with police given renewed powers to issue those seen not to be complying with fines of between £200 and £6,400.
The new rules do not apply in bars and restaurants, however, nor in school classrooms, theatres, or cinemas.
What other measures are being brought in?
The Prime Minister has said that anyone arriving in England will need to take a PCR test for Covid-19. This must be taken on the second day of their arrival.
Travellers to England must then self-isolate until they have provided a negative test result.
Why have the measures on mask wearing been brought in now?
The new restrictions have been brought in in response to a new variant of Covid called Omnicron, which was named a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation on Friday.
So far, two cases have been detected in the UK and six in Scotland. The new variant is thought to be more transmissible, with scientists pointing to mutations in its spike protein.
They will be reassessed in three weeks time, on 21 December.
A new index has revealed the best cities for pet owners in the UK, and it’s great news for Leeds.
Millions of us share our home with a pet, and making sure we give them the best possible life is often at the forefront of our minds, right?
While there’s a lot people can control about their pet’s lifestyle, many of the factors that affect their happiness are determined by location, and sadly for the 83% of the UK population who live in more urban areas, the challenges to give a pet a good life can feel even greater – with less access to green space, and fewer social spaces to take dogs, for example.
But when it comes to cities, which are the best ones to own a pet in? Well, pet insurance firm Lassie has decided to get to the bottom of this and do some updated research.
Lassie analysed data across nine metrics that determine a pet’s wellbeing to create a ‘Pet-Friendliness Index’, and using this index, the UK’s five most populous cities were each assigned a score out of 100 and ranked to determine which is the most and least pet-friendly.
The index looks at four main categories to gauge how suitable each city is for pets – green space, environment, health, and infrastructure.
Then, within these, experts compared a range of measures, including air quality, temperature, costs, access to vets, road safety, pet-friendly rental housing, social opportunities, and many others.
And Leeds has taken the fourth spot.
The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities
Manchester
Birmingham
Liverpool
Leeds
London
“We tend to think that being a good pet owner comes down to what we do at home, but your postcode could be playing a much bigger role in your pet’s happiness and health than you realise,” commented Hedda Båverud Olsson, who is the CEO and co-founder of Lassie.
“Our findings show that not all cities are created equal when it comes to pets. The difference between living in Manchester and London isn’t just about green space or somewhere to walk your dog, it can mean higher vet bills, poorer air quality and fewer veterinary practices nearby.”
Leeds Railway Station entrance FINALLY reopens after four-year delay
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we have all been waiting for...the entrance to Leeds station has finally reopened.
The £46.1m Leeds Station Sustainable Travel Gateway has been in the works since 2022, with the original target for completion set for autumn 2025.
A number of set backs meant that the opening was delayed time and time again, with the most recent hurdle being that one of the lifts was broken.
But now, all the hard work and patience (or lack thereof) has paid off because the entrance has finally reopened.
Images: The Hoot
Other than the swanky new stairs and lift that will take you straight to Bishopgate Street from the front of the station, there's also a new taxi rank that will also come into operation today.
The new taxi rank will allow hackney carriages to pick up there as well as the current location on Princes Square at the rear of the station.
The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, said: "Leeds as a city is booming, and one of the truest indicators of our ongoing growth and appeal is the ever-rising number of people using our railway station. Currently, Leeds Station handles more than 27 million passengers a year, with footfall inside the station rising six percent year on year and is now busier than before COVID.
“It is fundamental that we have a station that is not only easily able to meet current demand but is also fit for the future, providing a welcoming gateway for the many millions of passengers travelling into our city.
Images: The Hoot
“At the same time, it is vital that our station gateway is a safer and more accessible environment for everyone who uses it. We have worked in close partnership with groups from across our city to ensure that these new facilities provide a much-improved experience which is more pedestrian-friendly and allows people to board taxis much more safely.”
The Hoot -
29th November 2021 
