“Manners maketh man” said the venerable Educator and Administrator William of Wykeham, and so it’s probably down to his thirteenth century teaching that we, as a nation, are known for being incredibly polite, even when we’re furious. Which of course means that we are also acknowledged as being the world’s best at queuing. It is an internationally recognised truth and symbol of our impeccable manners.
So it’s no surprise that we have immediately embraced the extended the 2 Metre social-distancing queue. It’s possibly just a pleasing illusion, but even if the supermarket queues of 2020 look much longer, they seem to move much more quickly. Nothing pleases a Briton more than a smoothly moving queue. It is order and good manners in motion.
Our only real rivals for the title of ‘politest nation’ are the Japanese, so perhaps it’s time for us to follow where they are currently undisputedly leading the world - wearing masks in public.
Last week The New York Times asked, “Is the Secret to Japan’s Virus Success Right in Front of Its Face?”
Explaining that “one of Japan’s most visible responses has been near-universal mask wearing, seen here as a responsible thing to do to protect oneself and others, and as a small price to pay to be able to resume some semblance of normalcy.”
It’s been a matter of common courtesy in Japan for years that people who cough, sneeze, sniffle or just have general lurgies should cover up to avoid spreading their nasties to those around them. It’s good manners to wear a mask.
If you’re not convinced (or just confused by the muddle or our dear government’s policies), you can always trust the Financial Times. Quoting the medical journal The Lancet, the FT said that the best way to avoid infection was social distancing (queue well and save lives!), followed by wearing masks.
No matter if you just want to be seen to have impeccable manners, be seen as a millennial hipster with camo-patterns, or convey mystery and allure with a floral print, we’ve got you covered. Most importantly, we’ve got everything you need to keep your teams, colleagues and customers working (and queuing) safely.