When can non-essential shops open in England?
BRITS who are desperate to go shopping can hit the high street once again from today as lockdown restrictions are eased further.
As part of Boris Johnson's four-step roadmap, non essential retailers can welcome back customers from today.
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Some businesses reopened last month, such as outdoor swimming pools and exercise classes being allowed to return from March 29.
Pubs, restaurants and cafes can reopen for outdoor service from today too and Brits can finally get their hair cut as barbers and hairdressers open again.
But not all businesses can open from April 12 and sadly some will stay closed forever.
Below, we explain everything you need to know about hitting the shops today.
What four tests does the government need to pass before easing restrictions?
1. The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
2. Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
3. Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
4. Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
When will non-essential shops reopen?
Non-essential shops can reopen from today, April 12, as the England moves into stage two of the PM's roadmap out of lockdown.
Prior to this ease in restrictions, only shops that were deemed essential by the government could stay open.
This included stores that sell important goods such as food, medicines and DIY equipment for home repairs.
Shops that aren’t essential, and were closed for walk-in customers, are ones that sell items like clothing, toys and homeware products.
However, these stores have been allowed to provide home delivery and click and collect orders during lockdown.
You can see a full list of stores deemed non-essential below.
Mr Johnson placed England into its third national lockdown on January 5 as he urged households to stay at home to control the spread of coronavirus.
During the first lockdown, non-essential shops were closed from March 16 until June 15.
For the second lockdown, non-essential retail closed for four weeks, from November 5 until December 2.
Which shops and businesses were open during lockdown?
Here is a full list of "essential" businesses that were allowed by the government to stay open during lockdown:
- Supermarkets
- Pharmacies
- Garden centres
- Building merchants and suppliers of building products and off-licences
- Market stalls selling essential retail
- Businesses providing repair services but only if they primarily offer repair services
- Petrol stations
- Automatic (but not manual) car washes
- Vehicle repair and MOT services
- Bicycle shops
- Taxi and vehicle hire businesses
- Banks and building societies
- Post offices
- Short-term loan providers and money transfer businesses
- Funeral directors
- Laundrettes and dry cleaners
- Medical and dental services
- Vets and pet shops
- Animal rescue centres, boarding facilities, and animal groomers
- Agricultural supplies shops
- Mobility and disability support shops
- Storage and distribution facilities
- Car parks
- Public toilets
- Motorway service areas
- Outdoor playgrounds
- Outdoor parts of botanical gardens and heritage sites for exercise
- Places of worship
- Crematoriums and burial grounds
Which non-essential shops were closed during lockdown?
The following types of retailers are classed as "non-essential" and have therefore been shut during lockdown.
A large majority still offered click and collect and home delivery services.
These include:
- Clothing shops
- Homeware shops
- Carpet shops
- Charity shops
- Antique shops
- Showrooms (such as for vehicles as well as kitchens and bathrooms)
- Electronic goods and mobile phone shops
- Retail travel agents
- Photography stores
- Remaining auction houses and markets
- Tobacco and vape stores
- Betting shops
- Car washes (except for automatic car washes that are already open)
- Tailors
When will non-essential shops open in Wales and Scotland?
Scotland and Wales are following different plans to ease restrictions - but again, they'll only remain on track if coronavirus cases continue to fall.
In Scotland, some non-essential shops were allowed to reopen from April 5.
This included places such as garden centres and homeware stores, plus non-essential click-and-collect services that were allowed to start once again.
All shops will then be able to reopen from April 26, as part of the roadmap plans.
In Wales, supermarkets and other stores that are already open have been able to sell non-essential goods as of March 22.
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Garden centres were also able to reopen from the date, while other stores have to hang on until April 26.
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In England, hairdressers will open from April 12 along with gyms.
Working from home measures will remain in place until at least June.