Which retailers are reopening as the coronavirus lockdown lifts?
After two months of being closed during the coronavirus lockdown, Britain’s high streets are coming back to life.
Across the board, retailers across the country are working out how to get their businesses going again – and what measures they need to take to keep people safe.
So what shops can customers expect to open up again on Monday, when so-called non-essential businesses are allowed to make their long-awaited return?
And more to the point: what’s already open?
Primark
For fans of cut-price fashion, it’s good news: the discount retailer hopes to open all 153 of its stores in England from 15 June.
There is less certainty on when shops in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will follow – but Primark says they will open in “late June”.
The retailer has already reopened 112 stores across Europe as countries begin to ease their own lockdown rules.
A number of changes will have been brought in by Monday, however.
These will include every other till being closed, perspex screens at checkouts and restrictions on customer numbers. That means some will likely have to queue to get inside.
But nevertheless, £1 T-shirts, here we come.
Marks & Spencer
All Marks & Spencer clothing stores are earmarked for reopening – while many of the grocery sites have already stayed open throughout the lockdown.
The retailer had originally only said it would open the clothing outlets that included a food hall.
However, on 10 June it added its 26 clothing-only sites to that list.
The reopening will include in-store customer limit numbers, hand sanitiser being available upon entry, and clear floor markings to remind customers about social distancing.
More details here.
Next
More than 60 stores will be trading again by the time shops are due to fling open their doors on 15 June.
Find out if your local store is among them here.
John Lewis
John Lewis stores in Poole and Kingston will reopen first on 15 June, and will then be followed by another 11 sites later that week.
The stores at Bluewater, Cambridge, Cheadle, Cheltenham, High Wycombe, Horsham, Ipswich, Norwich, Nottingham, Solihull and Welwyn will open their doors to customers on Thursday, June 18.
Debenhams
The retailer has had to announce several store closures over the course of the lockdown, after failing to renegotiate rents.
In total, 20 stores will sadly not reopen their doors on Monday.
However, the majority of Debenhams stores across England are still set to reopen from 15 June.
Find out which ones here.
Boots
Boots has already said it will open its beauty counters on 15 June.
The pharmacy retailer has stayed open throughout the lockdown due to its status as an essential business, providing medication to people during the pandemic.
However, lovers of testing make-up and perfume will no longer be able to do so.
Beauty counter staff will still be on hand to give make-up advice, but this service has also been revised so there is no contact between workers and shoppers.
Ikea
The Swedish furniture king has already had 19 stores open since June 1 with outlets in Croydon, Greenwich, Lakeside, Wembley, Tottenham, Norwich collection point, Birmingham, Nottingham, Belfast, Manchester, Warrington, Gateshead, Leeds, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Reading, Southampton, Bristol and Exeter.
However, it remains to be seen when the company decides to open its stores in Scotland.
Find out more here.
JD Sports
Finally, you will be able to try on a pair of new Nikes again before you buy them, with JD Sports planning to reopen all 309 stores in England from 15 June.
JD Sports has said it also intends to open its high street and “open air” stores in Northern Ireland from June 12, although stores located in shopping centres will remain closed.
It remains uncertain when stores in Scotland and Wales will reopen as the lockdown restrictions remain in place.
All changing rooms will stay closed, and the number of customers allowed in will be limited.
Waterstones
The book seller has said it will reopen its stores in England and Wales – but has been forced to come up with an ingenious method of social distancing in a store model where the whole point is to pick up books and put them back: a book quarantine.
The introduction of so-called “Browsing Trollies”, which will be positioned next to tills, means that customers can safely leave a book or item they have handled but do not want to buy.
At the end of each day, stock from the trollies will be stored away for three days until the threat of virus transmission has been eliminated.
Find out more here.
Frasers Group
The Mike Ashley-owned group has said it will be reopening stores from 15 June across its Sports Direct, Jack Wills, Game brands.
However, House of Fraser stores, which are larger, will reopen slightly later in the week.
Ashley has reportedly appointed a specialist team to review and adjust health and safety measures within stores to protect staff and customers as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Halfords
Cyclists’ paradise Halfords fully reopened 53 of its outlets at the end of May, after successfully trialling social-distancing measures on its shop floors.
However, it will limit the number of customers allowed in-store.
More details here.
Harrods
The mighty Knightsbridge department store has said it will reopen its doors on Monday, using footfall monitors to make sure it does not have too many people inside at any one time.
Clear signage will direct customers and employees safely around the store, and specific doors will be designated for entering and exiting the building.
Furthermore, an “enhanced cleaning program” has been introduced, including hand sanitiser stations established across the store and at the entrance and exit points.