Essential stores
Some premises are allowed to stay open. These include:
- Supermarkets and other food shops.
- Health shops
- Pharmacies, including non-dispensing pharmacies
- Petrol stations
- Bicycle shops
- Home and hardware shops
- Launderettes and dry cleaners
- Garages
- Car rentals
- Pet shops
- Corner shops
- Newsagents
- Post offices
- Banks
- NEW: Off-licences and licensed shops selling alcohol, including those within breweries
On Wednesday morning, the government also added off-licences and other shops licensed to sell alcohol to the list of “essential businesses” that can stay open during the coronavirus lockdown, after facing pressure from trade bodies such as the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). This includes shops that are located in breweries.
This morning (6.36am) Government updated the exceptions list of retail that can remain open:
“Off-licenses and licensed shops selling alcohol, including those within breweries”So if you have a licensed brewery shop selling beer, it CAN open todayhttps://t.co/aCuhjYpkaG
— James Calder (@jmcalder101) March 25, 2020
The last minute addition could provide some much-needed relief to alcohol retailers. There was some confusion in the retail sector yesterday over what counts as a “corner shop” or “food shop”, which led to many keeping their doors open. Wine retailer Majestic sent a letter to staff to say its stores will be closed to the public, but that it will continue to make deliveries, and has instead opened “dark stores”. In an email sent out to staff on Tuesday, Majestic executive director John Colley said staff will now be expected to work on ramping up the retailer’s delivery sevice.
“To be clear, you will therefore be expected to come to work tomorrow, if you were due to be in.”
Hey Amanda. Yes, our branches are still open (11am – 8pm Mon-Sat; closed on Sundays) until ordered otherwise, and with strict limits on number of customers allowed indoors at a time. Our online store is also working round the clock to fulfil orders. Thank you. Stay safe. 🙂
— Oddbins (@oddbins) March 24, 2020
Oddbins stayed open yesterday, but sent a note to all staff on Tuesday evening announcing it would close its stores.
A spokesperson for the retailer told db it had now closed, after “much deliberation” over whether it qualified as an essential retailer.
