Coronavirus: Shops Reopen in England After Lockdown

There have been movement restrictions and lockdown in England due to the outbreak of coronavirus. However, after a three-month lockdown, the restrictions guidelines made by the United Kingdom’s government has been eased, as shops and malls across England were opened but with strict safety measures.

Shops and malls were crowded earlier this week, and people across England moved out to get their needs.

There was a large crowd at Bicester Village which made more than 3000 people signed a petition to close the shopping outlet down or implement social distancing for preventive measures.

“The footfall in England was 38% higher than last week, as pent-up demand led to reports of long queues by 17:00,” said Research Firm Springboard.

“The footfall has risen by more than we anticipated, but it was certainly helped by the weather, which made queuing a more pleasurable experience,” said Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard. 

An eighteen-year-old girl, Katie Kirby, was at the Primark and was interrogated. She was shopping with her 21-year-old boyfriend, Zac Hopkins, and she said, “I bought a jumpsuit because Primark was open and the weather’s getting better again,” said Katie. “I did go, just to get some essentials like pants and socks, but when I saw the jumpsuit, I had to treat myself because the shops haven’t been open for so long.”

“We do keep our distance in the store. We thought it would be a different shopping experience, but once we were in there, it was just the same,” Katie said.

Zac Hopkins added: “I bought a skipping rope so that I can do some exercise at home.”

Furthermore, shops have started to reopen their branches across England, and here, Fameaside would put you through few shop that will begin to open in the coming days:

•  Next will resume just 25 of its 500 stores at first
•  Debenhams will reopen 50 stores in England and three in Northern Ireland.
•  Music retailer HMV is reopening 93 of its 113 stores.
•  Marks and Spencer will open all its shops in England and Northern Ireland.
•  John Lewis will start by opening 13 branches in stages.
•  JD Sports is reopening all 309 of its stores in England.
•  Primark is reopening all 153 of its stores in England
• Topshop is reopening all its stores in England and selected ones in Northern Ireland
•  Currys PC World is opening 131 of its outlets.

Many stores are providing safety measures against the spread of coronavirus that include consumers not to touch items unless they want to buy, social distancing, availability of sanitizer on hand for customers, paying by contactless card with limits increased to 45 euros, and other essentials measures.

The United Kingdom government is under pressure to get the economy moving amid the coronavirus outbreak while the two-meter distancing is on review to help pubs, restaurant, and other shops make their money.

“Relaxing the 2m social distancing rule will be essential to keep the economy moving,” the hospitality industry says.