FROM this morning’s ironic snowstorm to welcome back shoppers to punters enjoying their first pint in Spoons, today has felt like a very British day.

As well as 11am drinking and eye-rolling at the weather, we have also beared witness to another Great British pastime today - the art of queuing. 

Photographs of people standing in line outside Primark have sparked an ongoing commentary on The Gazette's Facebook page, with many sharing their views on those who got up early to head to the shops. 

Which brings me to my next point - the less charming British pastime of snobbery.

We like to pretend we live in a society that does not have a problem with class, but comments in reaction to customers outside Primark tell another story.

One person wrote: “How could anyone be that desperate for cheap clothing?”

Primark may not be a kooky independent store with an endearing back story but it is bringing business to our town at a time where it is in dire need of footfall after an appalling year for retail. 

And as one reader pointed out, Primark is also one of the cheapest options for people to buy genuinely affordable clothes.

Unlike the majority of high street stores, Primark has no online presence so today will be the first opportunity many families will have had to stock up on new, reasonably priced items. 

At the last count, 12,000 people were on furlough in Basingstoke with the number of people claiming out of work benefits doubling. 

To sneer and judge people over their choice of clothing shop when you have no idea about their personal circumstance is meanspirited and, frankly, bizarre. 

Having lost Debenhams, Zara, Topshop and, most recently, John Lewis, we should be thankful to see customers return to our streets.

In the time it takes to compose a comment to criticise someone’s choice of retail destination, you could be on your way to the shops to support local businesses.

If Basingstoke stores had a pound for every negative comment on Facebook, it might stop many shops from closing - and save more jobs in the process.  

To the people standing in the queue for Primark today, thank you for making our town busy once again. We need more people like you.