Non-essential retailers closed their doors from midnight on Saturday (December 19) following the most recent coronavirus restrictions for the new tier 4 for London and much of the South East of England. However, with the overlap with hardware, some cookshops have been reassuring customers that their doors are still open in the final days before Christmas, while other cookshops are pulling the stops out to provide local deliveries and/or a click and collect service. Meanwhile, garden centres (some of which stock kitchenware) have remained in tier 4 under the ‘essential’ retailer list.
‘Bromley Council have deemed us an essential retailer,’ states The Kitchen Range in West Wickham on Facebook, which is opened with reduced hours this week, as well as offering click and collect for its local community. The retailer adds: ‘Cooking at home has never been more – well..essential. During this time when we cannot eat out, socialise or mix with other household, cooking for yourself has become even more necessary.’
Potters of Hockley shut its Cookshop from Saturday night, while keeping its adjacent hardware business open. However the retailer is offering local deliveries and click and collect to ensure its customers’ needs are met. The retailer asks customers for their understanding, recognising the ‘huge pressure on our staff, who are trying to do their best at all times in a very difficult situation, and we couldn’t do without them.’
Offering hardware and kitchenware, Trevor Mottram is open in Tunbridge Wells this week but offering a free local delivery service to help its customers. London based hardware and kitchenware retailer Lords at Home posted the message, ‘We continue to serve’ on Facebook. It reminded customers that it is open for essential supplies including cleaning products and DIY.
On hearing Boris Johnson’s announcement regarding the new tier 4 shop closures on Saturday (December 19), Andrew Goodacre, Bira’s ceo expressed concerns: “Closing down non-essential shops as from Sunday in London and the South East is a disaster for those businesses. They have only been open for 17 days in the busiest month of the year and will now miss out if the festive period and New Year sales.” Bira continues to lobby for support for independents: “They need financial support that reflects what they have lost and certainly better than the grants made available in November (many of which have not been paid).”
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), chief executive Helen Dickinson was also shocked at the pre-Christmas closures, saying:“We recognise that the government has difficult decisions to make, and the situation with the pandemic is very fast moving, but this is hugely regrettable news. Retailers have invested hundreds of millions of £pounds making stores Covid-secure for customers and staff, and SAGE’s advice has said throughout that closing non-essential retail has a minimal impact on the spread of the virus.”
Top: Message from Lords At Home.
