A manager of one of the most popular kosher supermarkets in Stamford Hill has claimed they are “doing our best” to implement Covid -19 prevention methods – after the JC witnessed hundreds of customers and several staff members entering the premises without wearing protective masks and failing to observe social distancing rules.

The JC  observed activity at the entrance of the Breuer and Spitzer store on two separate days last week – Tuesday and Friday – and witnessed a constant procession of men, women and children walking into the north London food shop with an apparent disregard for any of the government’s guidance on preventing the spread of Covid-19.

While some staff members could be seen to be wearing protective masks while working inside the store, others were clearly not.

On Friday, as locals shopped for produce ahead of Shabbat, the entrance doors to the upmarket store became so crowded that people needed to push past one another to get inside.

Even on the quieter Tuesday afternoon, a steady stream of customers inside the Dunsmure Road premises passing each other down the aisles made it clear that social distancing measures were not being applied by the management.

On both days, it was clear that only around one in ten customers entering or leaving the store had bothered to wear protective masks.

When the JC asked to speak to a manager of the shop on Monday and pointed out that there appeared to be no proper application of coronavirus prevention measures, a female said: “I hear what you are saying.”

She then stressed that Breuer and Spitzer do provide free masks for everyone inside the shop at the tills. 

The woman, who did not give her name, then added: “Listen we do have our rules in place. There are signs all over the doors. The majority do listen to the rules. We can’t be in charge of everyone.”

When asked why some Breuer and Spitz staff members had not worn masks on both Tuesday and Friday, she added: “It is those that are exempt from something.”

Asked why there was no security at the door of the shop, the woman said: “Why do you want to know? Is it a legal requirement?”

The JC was then told to “hold the line for a minute” before the same woman returned to respond further to our enquiries.

She said: “Look basically we are doing our best. We are giving out masks at the front and we have hand sanitising by the till. We try to tell customers to listen.

“We are doing our best and we are getting good results so far.”