People out shopping on a busy high street
(Picture: PA Wire)Shops will be able to stay open until 10pm six days a week when they welcome back customers after months of closures, Robert Jenrick has announced.
Non-essential retailers are due to reopen from April 12 as part of the next phase of reopening in the Government’s lockdown roadmap.
Mr Jenrick said extended opening hours from Monday to Saturday will help shoppers return to high streets safely.
Shops will be able to extend their opening hours from 7am to 10pm to help customers to avoid peak times and ease transport pressures, said the Communities Secretary.
Announcing the temporary measures on Friday, Mr Jenrick said: “To support businesses to reopen and recover, I’ve extended measures to allow shops to stay open for longer.
“This is part of a package of support to help reopen our shops and high streets safely – backed by £56 million.
“This will provide a much-needed boost for many businesses – protecting jobs, reducing pressure on public transport and supporting people and communities to continue to visit their high streets safely and shop locally.”
The Government has also announced it will extend flexible working hours on construction sites, and will allow food deliveries to supermarkets over more time periods.
Other measures also included keeping the flexibility for pubs and restaurants to put up marquees to help increase seating capacity in a Covid-secure way.
It comes after MPs yesterday voted to extend emergency powers in the Coronavirus Act for a further six months.
Despite 35 Tory MPs rebelling to vote against the legislation, the laws were approved by an overwhelming majority of 484 votes to 76.
The laws give the government wide-ranging powers unlike others seen before - from shutting down pubs, through to detaining individuals deemed at risk as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
