What Stores Can Re-Open On May 18th?

From Monday, Phase One of the easing of lockdown restrictions mean some business activity can return.

From the government’s own guidelines, the following businesses are permitted to open.

  • Hardware stores, builders merchants and those providing essential supplies and tools for gardening farming and agriculture; garden centres and farmers markets
  • Opticians/Optometrists/Outlets providing hearing test services, selling hearing aids and appliances
  • Retailers involved in the sale, supply and repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles and related facilities (for example, tyre sales and repairs)
  • Office products and services; electrical, IT and phone sales, repair and maintenance services for home. This does not include homeware stores
  • Outdoor public amenities and tourism sites, such as carparks, beaches and mountain walks may reopen
  • Outdoor public sports amenities, like playing pitches, tennis courts and golf courses may reopen
  • Outdoor sports and fitness activities in groups of no more than four are permitted within 5km of your home and providing there is no physical contact
  • School and college buildings may reopen for teachers and lecturers to facilitate remote learning
Only stores providing homeware incidental to primary retail functions set out in the original Essential Services list are to repen in Phase 1. It is not intended that stores which might also classify themselves as homeware, but primarily sell items such as furniture, bedding, curtains, kitchenware, crockery or other such items and so on, should open.
 
During Phase 1, it is intended that customers should restrict visits to such stores for essential supplies. All retailers are encouraged to continue to provide on-line services where that is possible and appropriate to minimise footfall. All of these outlets must implement physical distancing measures and measures set out in the Return to Work Safely Protocol.