Shops may be opening, but that will not save the economy. We need the joy of life back first

Governments are only governments. They can stop people doing things (not always successfully), but they can’t make them spend money if they don’t want to, writes Hamish McRae

People shop in the high street as non-essential retail shops reopen in Douglas, Isle of Man, which began lifting Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on 24 April. (Getty)

Governments can tell shops they can open, but they can’t make people go in and buy.

The world is at a strange turning point. Gradually the lockdowns are being lifted everywhere – a little sooner in some countries, a little slower in others. However, governments are only governments: they can stop people doing things (not always successfully), but they can’t make them spend money if they don’t want to. One of the universal features of the past few weeks has been that savings rates have soared just about everywhere. Incomes have fallen for many people, but spending has fallen more.

So in Britain, car showrooms and outdoor markets can open from next Monday, and all shops and shopping centres from 15 June, albeit with the social distancing we have got used to in the places that are now open. However, just about everything else – restaurants, pubs, hotels, fitness centres, cinemas, theatres, hairdressers and so on – will remain shut. The fun elements of the economy will be gone for a while yet.