Coronavirus curfew: Almost half of shop workers face abuse from drunk customers leaving pubs at 10pm

‘I couldn’t close my store on time because people refused to leave,’ one worker says

Nearly half of UK shop workers are dealing with abuse and antisocial behaviour as a result of the government’s 10pm curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants, according to a new study by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw).

The survey of 1,105 Usdaw members found that 47 per cent of workers had been affected by people buying alcohol in shops after being forced to leave nearby hospitality venues.

Twenty-eight per cent of those polled said they had been the victim of antisocial behaviour and/or verbal abuse, while one in four said overcrowding had made social distancing difficult. 

One worker told Usdaw that intoxicated customers were entering stores to purchase alcohol “as soon as pubs shut”, adding: “They’re often loud and do not wear face masks. Our store is in a local lockdown area, and it is obvious that these customers are not following social distancing laws.”

Another said thefts had increased in their business “by a large amount” between 9 and 10pm, while someone else reported being unable to close their shop on time as unruly customers refused to leave when asked to by members of staff.

“I couldn’t close my store on time because people refused to leave,” the worker stated in the report. "This is happening regularly now, in particular on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.”

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw’s general secretary, said the study is yet more evidence that the public is exploting a national pandemic “by abusing shop workers”.

“Usdaw supports measures that restrict the transmission of Covid-19, but that will not be achieved by filling shops with late-night revellers, putting our members’ safety at risk,” Mr Lillis said. 

“The sale of alcohol has always been a major flashpoint for violence, threats and abuse against shop workers — whether it’s age-identification or refusing a sale to someone who is already drunk, both legal requirements. This survey shows that the 10pm curfew has created additional problems for a significant number of shop workers.

“So we need the government, local authorities and the police to be aware of these triggers for anti-social behaviour and work with retailers to tackle the problem,” he added. 

Usdaw has been campaigning for greater protections of shop workers since coronavirus measures were first introduced earlier this year. It regularly calls out the UK government for failing to increase “justified, necessary and long overdue” protections for shop workers.

The union’s online Protect Retail Workers from Abuse, Threats and Violence petition has received more than 68,000 signatures amid a wave of support from its members and the general public.

The abuse of customer-facing workers does not end with the 10pm curfew either. Emma DeSouza, who manages a coffee shop in Belfast, says she has “luckily escaped” abuse from drunk customers but has still faced multiple instances of ill-treatment from “anti-maskers”.

“On a daily basis, my staff and I face verbal abuse from those who 'don't wear masks’ or 'don't believe in masks’,” she told The Independent. “When politely reminded of the requirement to wear masks in closed settings and shops we are then berated, on one occasion being told that we were no better than the nazis.”

She added: “That members of the public feel empowered to flout the rules, put peoples lives at risk and then abuse those who are simply trying to do their job in the safest way possible has been incredibly difficult and disheartening.”