Halfords is set to reopen 53 stores across the UK.
The move follows a surge in bike sales since the government relaxed the lockdown rules regarding exercise and encouraged people avoid public transport.
Halfords has been allowed to remain open throughout the global pandemic and subsequent lockdown, as it is classed as an “essential” business.
However, the company chose to close a number of sites and operate an employee-only model at the remaining 335 of its 446 stores, where customers could make purchases from outside or online.
The decision comes after the government announced that most non-essential retailers could be allowed to reopen from 15 June.
Halfords explained that it is not setting a “timetable or deadline” for reopening its remaining stores, adding that the pace will be dictated “entirely by the company's confidence that it can keep its colleagues and customers safe”.
The stores set to reopen will allow a limited number of shoppers through their doors under a model Halfords bosses are calling “Retail Lite”.
New rules include reduced customers, queueing marshals, safety notices and floor markings, sneeze screen visors for staff and instructions to customers not to handle or try on products.
Graham Stapleton, chief executive of Halfords, said: “There has been a big surge in demand for our bike products and services as people have taken to cycling during the lockdown, both for commuting and for fun.
“We are also anticipating a similar level of demand for our motoring products and services in the coming days, as people begin to use vehicles again that in some cases will have been off the road for many weeks.”
In addition to its retail stores, Halfords currently has 346 of its 373 garages and 77 vans operating under a contactless model.
Here is the full list of Halfords stores that are reopening:
- Aintree
- Ashford
- Aylesbury
- Basingstoke
- Bedford
- Braintree
- Cambridge
- Chatham
- Chelmsford
- Chester
- Colchester
- Cribbs Causeway
- Doncaster
- Dundee
- Eastbourne
- Edinburgh - Straiton
- Exeter
- Fareham
- Frome
- Gloucester
- Hamilton
- Harlow
- Hemel Hempstead
- Hereford
- High Wycombe
- Huddersfield
- Inverness
- Ipswich Euro
- Leamington Spa
- Leicester, St Margarets
- Lincoln, Tritton
- Liverpool, Edge Lane
- Maidstone
- Milton Keynes
- New Malden
- Newport
- North Shields
- Norwich
- Peterborough
- Plymouth
- Poole
- Preston
- Sheffield, Queens
- Stevenage
- Stirling
- Stockport
- Swindon
- Taunton
- Telford
- Thanet
- Wakefield
- Yeovil
- York
Halfords follows in the footsteps of a number of restaurant chains, including Wagamama, Nando's and KFC, which have recently returned to serving customers.
In March, the government told restaurants to shut their doors as part of the lockdown but have continued to allow outlets to serve takeaway and collection services, in line with health and safety guidelines.
