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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Eden Lewis & Ashley Summerfield

TikTok couple post 'shop tours' to help people reintegrate into post-lockdown society

A TikTok couple who became popular posting their supermarket reviews have moved onto a new venture - tours of shops to help people who might be feeling apprehensive about returning to post-lockdown society. Mark Brown, from Hambleton, North Yorkshire runs the Right Guys Review account with his wife Lucy.

The couple are expecting a baby boy in the next few weeks having used their platform to fund their IVF treatment. The idea to tour Teesside shops came during the first lockdown, with the couple creating videos so that people unable to leave their house for various reasons could see what retailers and supermarkets were like during restrictions.

Though restrictions have now been lifted, Mark still creates shop tours to help people reintegrate into society once again after over two years at home, reports Teesside Live.

Mark explained how he first got the inspiration: "We started the shop tours after popping to the shops through lockdown, we'd visit all kinds of different shops at quiet times of the day to show people what was going on and to reassure them that everything was somewhat normal.

"Because of Covid, some people haven't actually been in a shop since 2019, with some going even longer without popping into a shop. We decided to film in various shops so people could get ideas on what they might like on their lists as others did their shopping for them, we'd visit everywhere from Aldi, B&M, M&S and Primark."

Mark and Lucy are expecting a baby together after using TikTok funds for IVF treatment (Mark Brown)

Mark usually visits the shops along with Lucy at quiet times in the day, where he promotes sanitising hands and keeping a distance from other shoppers, to reassure those who are worried about Covid. He added: "My makeshift catchphrase is 'sanitise your hands and grab a basket' and I always make sure to point out that people are still sanitising their hands, keeping distance and wearing masks to make others who are wanting to go back into shops feel more comfortable when they eventually do so.

"We don't get paid to endorse the shops and we don't pay them, we do that all off our own backs in an attempt to help people integrate back into society. We've had hundreds of messages from people asking to visit specific shops in our videos and have commented how much our videos have helped them feel less anxious about going into shops again."

"It's healthy to wear a mask and there certainly should be no shame in wearing one if that makes you more comfortable. We proud ourselves on doing each video live so viewers know we aren't making anything up or misleading them, we want to show them how it is and I think that could be really reassuring for those wanting to get back into society after so long."

Since starting the videos around 18 months ago, Mark on Right Guys Review has clocked up an astonishing 700 million views on Tik Tok and Facebook, with 854.7 thousand followers across both platforms. With the videos helping those wanting to integrate back into society following the pandemic, Mark hopes to continue alongside his wife Lucy and their expanding family.

You can keep up to date with Mark's regular shop tours by following Right Guys Review on Facebook and TikTok.

For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.

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