Advice for businesses re-opening in June

Shops and retail have been told they can open their doors again from next month following closures due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Government has set out a timeline for some retail to open from Monday, June 1^st and further guidance has been published for how to operate safely to protect staff and customers.

Other shops and stores will be able to open from Monday, June 15^th, again if certain safety measures and checks are met.

The details are:

• Outdoor marketsand car showrooms – these will be able to reopen from June 1st, as soon as they are able to meet the COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect shoppers and workers.

As with garden centres, the risk of transmission of the virus is lower in these outdoor and more open spaces. Car showrooms often have significant outdoor space and it is generally easier to apply social distancing.

• All other non-essential retail including shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics, plus tailors, auction houses, photography studios, and indoor markets, will be expected to be able to reopen from June15^th if the Government’s five tests are met and they follow the COVID-19 secure guidelines.

Businesses will only be able to open from these dates once they have completed a risk assessment, in consultation with trade union representatives or workers, and are confident they are managing the risks. They must have taken the necessary steps to become COVID-19 secure in line with the current Health and Safety legislation.

Full details of the announcement can be found here: https://bit.ly/RetailTimeline.

Guidance for reopening can be found here: https://bit.ly/UpdatedRetailGuidance.

Testing advice can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-workplace-guidance

Councillor Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Development, said:

Obviously, our main concern during this crisis has been the health and safety of all our residents and potential visitors and this is why the majority of our businesses have been closed since March.

However, the Government now feel that it is possible to re-open the majority of shops and retail with strict health and safety measures in place, and our shops, markets and showrooms across Blackburn with Darwen will need to follow this to start opening and trading again. It is really important to get our economy moving again, but the welfare of shoppers and staff is still the most important issue here.”

Shoppers with concerns over social distancing should contact: publicprotection@blackburn.gov.uk