Shops around the UK will reduce their opening hours, or shut their doors completely, on Monday, September 19, as the nation comes together to mourn Queen Elizabeth II. The state funeral of the late monarch will take place at Westminster Abbey at 11am and a bank holiday has been announced to mark the occasion.
While shops are not officially required to close for the day, many retailers have decided they will shut their doors as a mark of respect and to allow staff to watch proceedings, which will be televised and shown on big screens across the country.
Shopping centres in Manchester will be open for reduced hours, but it is up to individual retailers to decide whether they open their stores or not.
READ MORE: Are buses, trains and Metrolink running on Queen's bank holiday?
Both the Trafford Centre and the Arndale Centre haveannounced their plans for the bank holiday. Here's what we know about the opening hours for the two centres on Monday.
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre will be closed during the Queen's funeral but will reopen at 4pm. However, the centre has warned that not all shops will be opening for the evening.
Many retailers including Primark and John Lewis have confirmed that their stores will be closed for the whole day. The Trafford Centre is urging people to check opening times with individual retailers.
A statement on the Trafford Centre website says: "On Monday 19th September, Trafford Centre will close in acknowledgement of Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral and to allow staff the time and space to mark the occasion and pay their respects.
"The centre will re-open at 4pm, with a minimal number of brands. We would kindly advise you to check individual retailer websites and social channels for their opening hours, as the majority of the centre’s retailers are closing for the full day.
"Normal Trafford Centre opening hours will resume on Tuesday 20th September."
Arndale Centre
The Arndale Centre will open for reduced hours on Monday to mark the bank holiday. Usually, the centre is open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays. But on Monday, September 19, the centre will only open between 10am and 6pm.
However, not every shop in the Arndale will be open as individual stores will have taken their own decisions on whether to close or not. Stores including Next and Wilko have already announced they will be closed for the whole day.
Following the death of the Queen on Thursday, September 8, Manchester Arndale tweeted: "The Manchester Arndale team would like to extend its deepest sympathies to all on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this difficult time."
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