Shopping is back on the menu with the latest government announcement.
Another day has brought another Downing Street briefing, and with it, news of further easing of the UK’s lockdown measures. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, addressing the nation this evening, has given all non-essential shops permission to open on June 15, so long as they are “COVID-secure”.
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After yesterday’s announcement that the UK would be moving into “Stage 2” of the lockdown exit plan, today’s guidance is further evidence of UK life heading towards the much-debated “new normal”. Johnson said “I want to give the retail sector notice of our intention to reopen shops so they too can get ready”, and noted that the social distancing measures put in place at supermarkets have encouraged them to take this next step.
The Prime Minister says he wanted people to be “confident that they can shop safely”, and outlined that the June 15 deadline applied to stores that could put appropriate social distancing measures in place. Before that, however, outdoor markets and car showrooms will be permitted to open from June 1, joining the likes of garden centres and homeware stores such as B&Q and Homebase, which reopened earlier this month.
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As Johnson concluded, “these are careful but deliberate steps on the road to rebuilding our country. And we can only take these steps thanks to what we have so far achieved together.” We’ll bring you more on this and other lockdown news as soon as we have it.