Hundreds of thousands of shoppers joined insane virtual queues from dawn this morning to book a Christmas delivery slot from Tesco.
People said they were logged on from 6am when the supermarket giant released its delivery slots for the festive season.
But so many people scrambled to get one – with almost 300,000 people in the queue – that the website and app crashed, The Hoot reports.
Tesco has acknowledged that the website was receiving a ‘high number of visits’ once its festive bookings opened and that it was ‘working hard to fix it’.
Several people compared the virtual queue to book slots to the struggle to get Glastonbury tickets, or this weekend’s mad scenes when Peter Kay tickets went on sale.
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Tesco opened its Christmas delivery slots this morning. Credit: Ben Stevens / Parsons Media
Another wrote: “Also. How boring am I? Didn’t queue for Glastonbury. Didn’t bother with Peter Kay tickets. But Tesco Christmas food shop? There with (jingle) bells on. What a time to be alive.”
One person tweeted: “I’m at the stage of life where I don’t queue for glasto tickets but for Tesco delivery slots,” alongside a screenshot that showed them in a queue position of 182,618.
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I’m at the stage of life where I don’t queue for glasto tickets but for Tesco Christmas delivery slots. pic.twitter.com/X9EaeglC5R
Someone else asked: “Is Peter Kay performing at Tesco this Christmas?”
Some disgruntled shoppers asked if Tesco had opened the booking early, as they logged on right on time to find themselves at the back of enormous queues.
Someone said: “what time did the queue to book a Christmas delivery slot open, as we were only told slots available from 6am, so now I am 75000+.In the queue! If I was made aware a queue was open earlier, I would have joined earlier than I did.”
Another tweeted: “Thanks @Tesco for another Christmas delivery farce. ‘Priority’ slots released at 6. Joins queue at 5.45am. Get to number 70000 something, app refreshes and kicks me out. Now 150000ish. Glad I’m paying for the privilege of delivery saver.”
One person wrote: “Truly unbelievable @Tesco.You send me an email informing me that Christmas Delivery slots open up at 6am so I log in 5 minutes to 6am only to find a queue with 112,000 people in it already. As a disabled person who relies on a delivery, why do it like this?”
One asked: “Is anyone actually got passed this point in the @Tesco queue? Finally getting through after being 100,000 odds from before 6 and now getting this. Wonder what the point in delivery saver is when you can’t get the slots sorted at Christmas.”
Is anyone actually got passed this point in the @Tesco queue? Finally getting through after being 100,000 odds from before 6 and now getting this. Wonder what the point in delivery saver is when you can't get the slots sorted at Christmas. pic.twitter.com/lfEQ0s5S1Q
Tesco has said: “We’re sorry that you’re experiencing an issue with our app whilst booking your slot this morning. We’re currently seeing a high number of visits to our Grocery & Clubcard app and some customers are temporarily having difficulty logging on or placing orders.
“We are aware of the issue and we’re working hard to fix it. In the meantime, we’d recommend using the website to place your order.”
Featured image: Flickr
Christmas
Government launches £442m drive to get rough sleepers off streets before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a £442m drive to get rough sleepers off the streets before Christmas.
Learning from ‘innovative’ approaches put into place during the pandemic, the Government has announced that new accommodation will be rolled out across England this winter, as well as offering practical help with housing, health, and other needs to support people to build a more stable life for themselves in the future.
The new commitment to offer everyone a route off the streets this Christmas, along with boosted funding, reflect Andy Burnham‘s national drive to make ‘real change’ and get everyone playing their part in ending rough sleeping.
Not only will these plans change the lives of rough sleepers, but it’s also said they will have huge benefits for the country as a whole.
Research from homelessness charity Crisis suggests that by preventing 40,000 people from becoming homeless for a year, taxpayers could save around £370 million.
The Government has launched a £442m drive to get rough sleepers off the streets before Christmas / Credit: Number 10 Press Office | Jon Tyson (via Unsplash)
As well provisions to get people off the streets, and the intensive ‘wraparound’ support, the newly allocated funding will also help local areas deliver more than 1,000 ‘settled’ homes over the next three years, it has been confirmed.
Areas facing the greatest pressures will receive the largest share of support.
Working alongside councils, Mayors will play a leading role in driving local action to end rough sleeping, and will be tasked with making decisions that are right for their communities to deliver help where it’s needed most.
The Prime Minister says he ‘won’t accept’ rough sleeping any longer. He commented: “No one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station, but we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.
“That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping, and it’s why today we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas. We did it in the pandemic, we can do it again. But it needs all of us.
“Government will put the money in, but I’m asking leaders in communities and sectors across society to play their part locally too.
“Let’s get people out the cold, and let’s bring back hope.”
Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)
Christmas
You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam train rides are back for more festive fun this Christmas, and tickets are already on sale… genuinely.
Sure, it’s literally the middle of August, and we’ve still got the rest of summer, and the small matter of a bank holiday weekend, Halloween, and Bonfire Night to get through first, but East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is already looking ahead to the most magical time of year.
The iconic heritage railway has announced that its hugely-popular ‘Santa Specials’ steam trains are back once again from late November.
The famous festive steam trains have become an essential part of Christmas for many families in the North West.
Santa Specials are your chance to hop on board an old-school steam train and travel through the magical Irwell Valley to make ‘enchanted memories’ that last a lifetime.
You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (via ELR)
The truly special Christmas day out starts as you make your way through a winter wonderland at Bury Bolton Street Station, and first get to meet some old favourites and new characters – including the magical talking Christmas tree, Mrs Claus, and ELR’s very own Ice Princess – all before before having a singalong with a chorus of musical polar bears.
The festive fun then continues on the Santa Special steam trains themselves – with an 80-minute ‘enchanting voyage’ through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
And, of course, you can expect a special visit from Santa while you’re on board.
After you’ve grabbed a selfie or two with the big man himself, the grown-ups can look forward to mince pies and festive tipples, while little Mancs can enjoy a soft drink, some chocolate, and take a festive-themed activity pack home with them.
Daisy Jackson -
15th November 2022 
