The spread of coronavirus in the UK saw many businesses – from high street shops to gyms to pubs – close their doors. Today, as per the government's previous announcement, many of them are reopening for business: yep, a plethora of non-essential stores, including fashion giants, mobile phone stores and museum gift shops, are now once again up and running. Unsurprisingly, huge queues have already been spotted outside the likes of Primark.
To recap, a list of businesses that are allowed to reopen from today, according to the government website, are:
- Food retailers
- Chemists
- Hardware/homeware stores
- Fashion shops
- Charity 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
- Similar types of retail
Other businesses, such as safari parks, zoos and drive-thru cinemas have also been given the nod, plus places of worship will now be open for private prayer. Alas, no pubs, restaurants, bars, nail salons or hairdressers just yet – it's though the earliest they could open is 4 July (but that again is dependent on government guidelines being met).
However, this doesn't mean that every single store will be flinging open their doors wide open – there's still a strict set of requirements that they must adhere to first, in order for customers to be able to shop safely (while maintaining social distancing measures). They could also close once more should there be a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.
No doubt today will be a joyful one for many retailers, some of whom have struggled financially ever since they had to literally shut up shop, but there are also concerns that customers will still be reluctant to enter stores.
Catherine Shuttleworth, an analyst rom the Savvy retail marketing agency, told BBC Radio 4's Today show, "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."
Everyone's clicking on...
The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it's possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For any concerns and latest advice, visit the World Health Organisation. If you're in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
