SUPERMARKET shoppers in York are finding their ability to shop for clothes during lockdown depends on which store they visit.

Tesco’s two stores, at Askham Bar and Clifton Moor, have barred customers from using their escalators up to mezzanine floors, where such ‘non-essential’ items are stocked.

But there was a sharp contrast at Asda’s store at Monks Cross, where the escalators remained open on Tuesday, with shoppers freely able to shop for clothes upstairs.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s at Monks Cross and Morrisons in Foss Islands Road, both without a mezzanine, continued to sell clothing from areas on the ground floor.

Tesco said it was obeying guidance aimed at helping to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, adding: “In line with new Government guidance in England which requires the closure of separate floors selling non-food items, we have closed the Clothing and General Merchandise departments in our stores that sell these products from a separate mezzanine level.”

But Asda insisted it was acting within Government guidelines, adding: "As an essential retailer we are not required to cordon off any aisles in England and are able to continue to sell our usual ranges of products according to the first point of the Government's guidance for retailers, which states businesses that sell a significant amount of essential retail are specifically able to continue to sell goods typically sold at non-essential retail. For example a supermarket is not required to close off or cordon off aisles selling homeware.”

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said businesses selling a significant amount of essential retail could also continue to sell goods typically sold as non-essential retail. “For example, a supermarket that sells food is not required to close off or cordon off aisles selling homeware,” she said.

“Where a business has sufficiently distinct parts, and one section provides essential retail and one section provides non-essential retail, the non-essential sections should close to limit interactions between customers and the opportunity for the disease to spread.”