Last week, prime minister Andy Burnham recommended households start stockpiling three days’ worth of bottle water and tinned food to deal with crises such as war, a cyber attack or extreme weather events.
After housing secretary Angela Rayner said her emergency box would include a bottle of wine, the News Shopper asked readers what would feature in their disaster kit.
Kathy Ellis agreed with the housing secretary that wine was the way to go – alongside chocolate, of course – while Terry Chisnell said he has “10 bottles of whiskey” hidden away.
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For Ian Richardson, Cadbury Flakes are an essential item, and Karen Turner Perkins said she is stockpiling coffee because “if anything is going down I need a few coffees first”.
Some very methodical plans and solid prepping advice came from other readers, with Pauline Revell-Bowles reminding people not to forget regular medication, dog food and an emergency bag including the phone numbers of essential services and family members.
Angela Edgley said on Facebook: “Will start with food in the freezer in case it defrosts so soups and bread.
“Using tea lights (very slow), for heating liquid. Can’t use a camping gas stove in a flat sadly. However have a stove in case we’re desperate.
“Just plenty of batteries. Tea lights, throws and fleeces. Bottled water is so expensive.
“Filling ice trays and may get a huge bucket with lid and filled up. Don’t forget to look out for vulnerable neighbours.”
Another person commented: “Pulses, barley, lentils, tinned chunky soups, sugar, tinned tuna, tea bags, coffee, tinned potatoes, tinned stewed steak, jars of jam, crackers, flour, yeast, first aid kit, antibiotics, atlas.”
However, many south east Londoners pointed out that with the current cost of living, stocking up on any extra food is unaffordable.
Vicky Church said: “People can barely afford to get food for the normal food shop at the moment, let alone extra.”
Hazel Mullard-evans added: “I can’t afford to stock pile, if I could you can’t always get the stuff because some people are selfish and take the whole shelf of water or take a crate of tinned food, a box of long life milk which leaves none for others.
“Luckily, I have some tinned food, pasta, jars of pasta sauce in my cupboard from my usual shop.
“The only things I would really need was water and long life milk.”
But, if and when it all goes down, David Hall knows where he wants to be: in the Winchester, “having a nice cold pint, and waiting for all of this to blow over.”
