Following Boris Johnson’s latest announcement, car showrooms, auction houses and non-essential shops will be able to open next month.
The speech on Monday May 25th by the Prime Minister proposed the easing of lockdown restrictions for establishments such as clothes shops, toy shops, auction houses, markets and car showrooms.
The latest announcement has caused a divide in the nation as to whether or not it is the right time or the right thing to do.
The restriction lifting will see many high street shops reopen by the end of June, providing the shop can do so safely under the strict guidelines.
Credit: Clint Mann
Some of the advice to non-essential shops includes holding returned items for 72 hours before putting back out on shop floor, placing protective coverings on large items such as beds and sofas, and frequently cleaning trolleys, self-checkouts, coffee machines and betting terminals.
The full list of shops that can reopen is below:
June 1st:
Outdoor markets
Car Showrooms
June 15th:
Food retailers
Chemists
Hardware/homeware stores
Fashion shops
Charity shops
Bookshops
Shoe shops
Toy shops
Furniture shops
Betting shops and arcades
Tailors, dress fitters and fashion designers
Car dealerships
Auction houses
Antique stores
Retail art galleries
Photography studios
Gift shops and retail spaces in theatres, museums, libraries, heritage sites and tourism sites
Mobile phone stores
Indoor and outdoor markets
Craft fairs
All other similar types of retail
As it stands the following establishments cannot reopen yet: restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes, any salon (hairdressers, barbers, beauty or nail), piercing and tattoo parlours, holiday accommodation, caravan parks, libraries, community centres, places of worship, museums and galleries, nightclubs, cinemas and theatre, bingo halls, spas, skating rinks, indoor fitness studios including gyms and swimming pools, indoor arcades, funfairs, and playgrounds.