Shoppers left fuming on Christmas Eve
HUNDREDS of midnight Christmas shoppers were today left fuming after waiting in queues at a supermarket for more than an hour and a half.It is thought up to 300 people turned up at Tesco's in Martlesham at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve to stock up on last-minute food but due to a lack of staff, some were kept waiting to be served for 90 minutes.
HUNDREDS of midnight Christmas shoppers were left fuming after waiting in queues at a supermarket for more than an hour-and-a-half.
It is thought up to 300 people turned up at Tesco's in Martlesham at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve to stock up on last-minute food but due to a lack of staff, some were kept waiting to be served for 90 minutes.
One woman in her 40s, who lives in Trimley St Martin, said: “I could not believe the amount of people there. I went at midnight to avoid the crowds but I will never do that again.
“I got in to the store just after midnight, then started to queue at 1.05am. I eventually got to the check out at 2.20am. It was ridiculous.”
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The queue stretched the length of the supermarket as only four out of the 20 checkouts were open.
Staff handed out sweets and pastries to appease customers as they waited yet many dumped their full trolleys and left.
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Another shopper, a 38-year-old man from Martlesham Heath, added: “I don't think they had expected so many people because they were putting out all the stock on the shelves like it was a normal night shift.
“I thought what idiot would come at midnight to do shopping but there seemed to be quite a lot of us there.
“I was in the queue for an hour and a half. We laughed that only the British would queue.”
A Tesco spokesman said: “The demand at one minute past midnight on Christmas Eve took us completely by surprise. The night team worked flat out to clear the queues as quickly as possible and customers were offered sweets and drinks while they waited. Most were in good spirits and we only had a couple of complaints.”
