politics

What shops are staying open and why do they need to close? Read our guide to find out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a month-long lockdown from November 5 after being told the NHS was on course to become overwhelmed within five weeks amid a national resurgence of Covid-19.

People in England are, once again, being asked to “stay at home”, with members of the public only allowed to leave their homes for a series of specified reasons, including ‘essential’ shopping.

Here’s our guide to which shops are staying open and which are being locked down.

What essential shops are open?

Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open.

Essential retail should follow Covid-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.

Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect.

Grocery stores will remain open and, unlike Wales, none of their aisles selling non-essential goods will be closed off.

Hardware stores and garden centres are expected to be allowed to remain open, as long as they can operate in a Covid-secure way.

What shops will be forced to close?

To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close.

All non-essential retailers will have to close from Thursday, meaning many shops will be closed during one of their most profitable months of the year.

These include all non-essential retail including – but not limited to – clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops.​

Non-essential retailers will still be allowed to offer click and collect services if they can be Covid-secure, as well as being able to trade online.

Are takeaways open?

Hospitality venues like restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed.

Why do shops have to close?

As with pubs, restaurants and other places of social activity, the Government wants to stop any chance the virus has of spreading  between people, particularly people in groups.

Shops can help the virus to spread because it can live on surfaces for some time – so the items you pick up in the shop could be carrying the virus; you could then become infected yourself or pass it on to someone else. Scientists say that closing shops greatly reduces the risk of spreading the virus.

If fewer people get infected, there will be less strain on the NHS and more lives can be saved.

Will bike shops stay open?

As seen in the previous lockdown, bike stores will be given the green light to remain open. As all gyms and fitness centres will close their doors this Thursday, November 5th, bikes are one of the only ways people can exercise, which makes bike stores among the list of ‘essential stores’.

Will car showrooms & dealerships stay open?

Car showrooms will close their doors under the new lockdown measures and will remain closed until December 2nd, at least. However, the Government has announced that purchased cars will still be delivered to the customer’s house, while, alternatively, customers who confirmed the purchase of a car prior to lockdown will have the option to collect their vehicle from the dealership, in a system which mirrors ‘click and collect’.

Will hardware shops stay open?

The Government is yet to give the go-ahead for hardware stores to remain open throughout the upcoming lockdown, however, if the measures resemble the previous lockdown, several of these stores, including B&Q and Homebase will be able to continue to trade, as long as there are strict social distancing measures in place. Other hardware stores, including Wickes and Screwfix, operated a click and collect service; however, it is yet to be confirmed whether they will remain open for trade throughout November.

Will the Post Office remain open?

The Government has not explicitly mentioned whether the Post Office will close; however, the shop is classed as ‘essential’ and, therefore, is likely to continue to open throughout the second lockdown. This prediction comes from the measures seen in the first lockdown, when all Post Offices continued to trade, while the Royal Mail continued their postal delivery service.

Will libraries stay open?

There is no confirmation as to whether libraries will be forced to close their doors this Thursday, November 5th, as the government has not yet confirmed if libraries are deemed as an ‘essential service’. It is important to remember that schools, universities and colleges will remain open throughout November; however, the answer is likely to depend on whether libraries are able to maintain successful social distancing measures.

Will Argos close?

Yes, all Argos stores across England will close their doors throughout the entirety of the second national lockdown, and will only reopen when the country enters its ‘exit strategy’ on December 2nd. The closures include Argos inside Sainsbury’s supermarkets; however, the store is still offering delivery when you order online throughout November.

Can I still go to the dentist?

Unlike the previous lockdown, dentists will remain open and will continue to welcome patients for routine appointments. This move comes after the Prime Minister encouraged people not to neglect their NHS appointments, despite the severe new lockdown measures.

Can I still visit a garden centre?

Yes, garden centres will remain open throughout the latest lockdown, as they are among the essential stores, to sell goods which the public will need to access throughout November. However, it is vital these centres follow the appropriate social distancing measures in order to keep shoppers safe throughout the new lockdown.

Will estate agents close?

The housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, suggested that the housing market will remain in business throughout the second lockdown, in a statement which contrasts the rules of the first lockdown in March. However, there has been no word on whether estate agents will be physically forced to close their doors over the coming month, as all ‘non- essential retail’ will pause until December 2nd.

 Will golf courses stay open?

The Government is yet to confirm whether golf courses will receive a green light to remain open over the lockdown; however, the confirmation is likely to come in the following day. There is, however, a suggestion that courses may remain open as they offer the opportunity to exercise and are easy to implement social distancing measures.