Half-hour queue for Wick post office
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WITH various restrictions and guidelines to follow during the Covid-19 pandemic, queues are becoming a more common sight throughout Caithness.
In Wick's Bridge Street, people wait up to 30 minutes to access services in the town's only remaining post office.
Rashida Doull, who runs the post office and card shop, Best Wishes, urged customers via Facebook to "stay safe and follow the updated guidelines".
The shop has reduced its opening hours, opening from 10am until noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with only essential financial services available such as bill payments as well as gas and electricity top-ups.
"The maximum is two parcels per customer to help reduce queues and stay in line with social distancing policy," Rashida said.
"I can’t wait to get back to normal. As much as I want to keep myself and family safe at home on reduced hours, this social isolation isn’t for me when I’m so used to being busy."
Rashida is being helped by her brother Rehan Amin and father Younes who both run grocery stores in the town providing lifelines to the community.
One local man said: "My sister sent a Caithness Courier to our auntie in Kilmarnock and it took 25 minutes to do the deal.
"The queue often stretches up to the tattoo shop but one day it got as far as the old chip shop [Elizabeth's] way down the street."
The restrictions imposed at shops and supermarkets because of the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in queues in other parts of Caithness, including the butcher's and convenience stores in Castletown.
