• Temporary measures to make socially distanced shopping easier to continue
• Longer opening hours for retail to give shoppers more flexibility and ease transport pressures
• Flexible working hours for construction also to continue, helping industry continue to operate safely

Shops will have the flexibility to open until 10pm Monday to Saturday when they reopen after lockdown. 

The extension of daily opening hours for non-essential retail is designed to help local businesses and to support people to return to high streets safely. 

No-essential shops are expected to be allowed to reopen from Monday 12 April at the earliest, as business owners prepare to welcome back customers after months of lockdown.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP announced today (26 March 2021) that non-essential retail would be given greater flexibility as the country cautiously moves out of lockdown.

As part of the £56 million ‘Welcome Back Fund’ announced last week, Mr Jenrick is encouraging councils to continue supporting social distancing measures and relaxing planning rules where possible to ensure people can continue to keep a safe distance on our high streets.

The government is also extending flexible working hours on construction sites, allowing food deliveries to supermarkets over more time periods, and keeping the flexibility for pubs and restaurants to erect marquees to help increase seating capacity in a Covid-secure way.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP 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.”

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