DAVID UNWIN / Tips
Two in five customers without a mask at Rosebowl Bakery and Cafe in Feilding leave after having lunch.
Covid-19 could catch Manawatū with his mask down just as places of interest appear in the area.
Four locations of interest in Palmerston North were announced Thursday, all retail destinations. An hour earlier one Thing an investigation into the coffee’s label revealed that masks were missing.
At four cafes and restaurants, during the 90-minute lunch rush, 13% of customers lined up for their meals without a mask. Twenty-one of the 60 customers who wore a mask failed to scan a QR code or log in.
No client without a scanned or connected mask.
READ MORE:
* Reception staff are worried about having to be “police” and “bouncers” according to strict level 2 rules
* Cafe owner opposes Covid-19 restrictions and public criticism
* “Like a rave party for the over 70s”: breaches of level 2 rules “overwhelm” the café
WARWICK SMITH / Stuff
Kmart Palmerston North became a place of interest on Thursday.
A similar investigation to Feilding on Monday revealed even more occasional concern for Alert Level 2 guidelines.
Seven of the 37 customers of two cafes were not wearing masks and 14 did not scan or log in.
The investigation was spurred by concerns expressed by Alistair Kerr, 69, whose mother was 90 and wanted to stay safe.
He said the continuous appearances of maskless people at the famous Feilding cafe, Rosebowl, pissed him off.
“They stand next to you … then go to the cash register and nothing is said … It’s reckless, selfish.”
Ross Giblin / Stuff
In Feilding, only half of customers logged in at two cafes. In Palmerston North, one in five people did not scan. (image file)
Kerr said the more time passed after the lockdown, the less vigilant people became, to the detriment of the most vulnerable New Zealanders.
“I don’t want to be the one to bring the coronavirus to his nursing home … why do they care?”
Thing approached Rosebowl for comment, but two managers declined.
Feilding cafe, Beyond Coffee, had nine customers in 20 minutes. Eight wore a mask, but only half scanned or signed. A man stood in line without a mask, but held it in his hand.
He said Thing he did not see the point of wearing it because “everyone touches everything anyway”.
In North Palmerston, Thing observed customers in Saigon, Green House, Coffee Club and Robert Harris. During the latter, more than half of the 33 customers did not appear to register. Customers without a mask were more likely to be at the Coffee Club.
Coffee Club manager Pazzmin Dudley said being in the heart of town and in a busy cafe, it could be difficult to keep up with customers and enforce the rules.
“We’re just making sure all of our staff are safe… we’re doing our best. “
Chloe Ann-King, founder of Raise The Bar, a union for hospitality workers, and said it was unfair that the onus is on low-wage workers to confront people breaking Level 2 rules She said management and owners need to strengthen their health and safety procedures.
WARWICK SMITH / Stuff
Noel Leeming became a place of interest on Thursday.
“Workplaces have a legal obligation to ensure the safety of their employees … but employees don’t feel entitled to say anything. They earn low income and it is a precarious industry.
“Customers may have little respect already… it’s hard to expect workers to complain. “
Most of the clients not wearing masks were middle aged or younger. Some users who did not scan later may have made manual entries.
People can remove their masks when dining out, but they are expected to wear them when standing in line at the counter or walking around the room.
