Why dragging politicians into the betting shop must be a post-lockdown priority

This week I opened a cheery greeting from Majestic Wines. Expecting another missive of gloom concerning the second lockdown. I was cheered to find that Majestic is not only not being forced to close its stores (hurrah!), it's actively trumpeting its status as an "essential retailer".

I took this as a sign that our own civilisation is bearing up well under pressure. I regard wine as an essential and feel the damage to my psychological wellbeing if I can't buy any. Then again, I get pretty antsy if I fancy one in the 2.30 at Warwick and I happen to be passing my local bookie only to find it closed by order of Boris, so where's the difference? How is it more essential to drink alcohol than it is to have a bet? Even more absurd is the fact that, had I lived in a Tier 3 area, I could not have gone in the betting shop even before this latest lockdown madness.

I'm resigned to lockdown now, however much I disagree with it, but I sincerely hope that when we come out the other side, those in the corridors of power look rather more kindly upon betting shops, which have spent fortunes on complying with all the official guidelines only to be told that none of it works after all.