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10 June 2020, 10:10
Government give green light for shops to open from 15th June
What shops can reopen on Monday 15th June? Everything from toy stores to art galleries.
After 11 weeks of lockdown, thousands of high street shops across England can start reopening from next week.
As the government continues to ease coronavirus quarantine measures, Business secretary Alok Sharma gave all non-essential shops the green light to welcome customers again on Monday 15 June.
This means clothes shops, charity shops and indoor markets will all open their doors for the first time since 23 March, as long as they have completed a COVID-19 risk assessment and can implement social distancing measures.
Zoos and other outdoor attractions such as safari parks and drive-in cinemas, will also be allowed to reopen on the same day if they are COVID-19 secure.
The government said it has issued guidance for people who "work in or run shops, branches, stores or similar environments", as Mr Sharma said on Tuesday: "We can carefully begin to open parts of economy in a phased and careful manner.
Read More: Government announce that pubs won't open before 4 July
"I can confirm today that retail outlets which have been required to close will be able to open their doors again from Monday June 15, so long as they comply with the Covid secure guidelines
"This is the latest step in the careful restarting of our economy and will enable high streets up and down the country to spring back to life."
On the government website, it has listed shops and branches as follows:
food retailers
chemists
hardware/homeware stores
fashion shops
charity shops
betting shops and arcades
tailors, dress fitters and fashion designers
car dealerships
auction houses
antique stores
retail art galleries
photography studios
gift shops and retail spaces in theatres, museums, libraries, heritage sites and tourism sites
mobile phone stores
indoor and outdoor markets
craft fairs
similar types of retail
Mr Sharma also announced that pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, nail bars and the rest of the hospitality sector will remain shut until at least July 4th.
Meanwhile, ‘essential’ shops such as supermarkets and pharmacies have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
They have introduced new safety measures, such as ‘cleaning stations’ for customer and staff use, floor markings and protective screens at checkouts.
Now Read: Government confirms all non-essential shops can open from Monday