Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that all retailers across England can start reopening their doors from next month if they can meet the coronavirus guidelines on social distancing and hygiene.
From 1 June, outdoor markets and car showrooms can start trading again. Meanwhile, all other non-essential retailers will be allowed to open up from 15 June.
Johnson said: “We will set out our formal assessment of the five tests that we set for adjusting the lockdown later this week as part of the three-weekly review we are legally required to undertake by Thursday.
“But because of the progress we are making I can, with confidence, put the British people on notice of the changes we intend to introduce as we move to step two.”
He revealed that new guidance had been published detailing the measures retailers needed to take to ensure the safety of staff and customers. “Shops now have the time to implement this guidance before they reopen,” Johnson said. “This will ensure there can be no doubt about what steps they should take.”
He urged people to go to the shops to help the economy recover. “I’m certainly not going to discourage them from spending at all,” Johnson said.
“I think that it’s early days but we are very much hoping there will be a bounce-back over the next few months.”
The British Retail Consortium welcomed the announcement, adding it provided “much-needed clarity” on the route ahead. Its Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said: “Safety is the fundamental concern for all retailers and they have been working hard to implement the necessary measures to operate safely over the past weeks.
“Now that we know which shops can open and when, retailers can begin communicating their plans with their workforces and customers. The industry stands ready to play its part in getting the economy moving again.”
However, analysts have warned that some consumers will be wary about returning to high streets and shopping centres after weeks of being told to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus. Catherine Shuttleworth, from the Savvy retail marketing agency, told the BBC’s Today programme: “It is fine saying the stores can open, but are we going to have the appetite to go back?
“Shopping is a social, fun experience a lot of the time and social distancing takes that away. It’s going to be a very different way of shopping from what we’re used to.”
High streets minister Simon Clarke announced a £50m fund over the weekend for local councils to support firms returning to business.
The Reopening High Streets Safely Fund will “help councils in England introduce a range of safety measures in a move to kick-start local economies, get people back to work and customers back to the shops”.
NAM Implications:
- Now time for the government to realise that initiating lockdown restrictions…
- …was far easier than removing them.
- (in terms of consumers believing it safe to shop…)
