MARKET VISIT IN LOCKDOWN 2.0

Due to the news government restrictions of all non essential shops to close and the country to begin its second wave of lockdown measures Aeon need to change our strategy. Robbin from the Kirklees arts cousin who we met last week, has informed that the spaces available for us to use will no longer be able to open as their deemed non essential.

Collectively we have met via teams to discuss how to adapt our plan and present our presentation to the University Staff next week. We originally was going to set up a exhibition style timeline of all members work along the journey of our collaboration but as we cannot display this work we will be using a website with each stage of the creative process. the website will also be were the mask can be sold.

Visiting the market

Upon my visit to the Queensgate market today (9/11/20) during the second lockdown from the government. All non-essential shops are to close from the 4th November at 12:00pm. This left 6 stalls to remain open the butches, fruit and veg, hardware and pet stall.

This visit was an immediate eye opener for the future of the market as it stands today. After speaking to the butcher located on the corner, outside the door of the market he expressed his real concern for the other market stalls within the market. Their future is very uncertain. While supermarkets are blooming with profit. The BBC released an article stating that TESCO saw more than a quarter rise in profits from online shoppers (BBC,2020). With the market only being prominently in-store only its clear they have suffered from the coronavirus pandemic. Online orders hit an all-time high since the first lockdown at the beginning of the year in March. ‘With more customers turning to online shopping, Tesco more than doubled delivery capacity to 1.5 million slots a week during the first half, including serving 674,000 vulnerable customers’(BBC 2020)

I spoke to some stall worker/owner and they are very uncertain what the pandemic might leave for them within the future. A gentleman working in the fruit and veg stall aloud to remain open as deemed essential, he expressed how the first lockdown didn't affect his business too much. This was due to the supermarkets being ill prepared for the 'panic buyers’. This aloud his new and returning customers to still get their essential from him.

However, he is sure this second wave and lockdown 2.0 won't be as successful and customers are wearier and more scared to venture out along with supermarket being more prepared.

Figure 1-8

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Reference

BBC, . (2020, October 7). Tesco profits surge as online orders double.BBC news business -coronavirus pandemic .https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54445399

Figure List

figure 1-8 Boothroyd, H. (2020).markets and covid-19. [photograph]. .