UK DIY News
B&Q Reopens A Small Number Of Stores
B&Q has reopened some of its stores to the public after observing the measures taken in UK supermarkets to keep staff and customers safe.
Fourteen stores have now reopened following a blanket closure from Tuesday 24th March, after which B&Q moved to a click and collect-only operation.
In a message on its homepage, the DIY retailer said:
"Having watched other essential retailers support social distancing in their stores, we are now in a position to follow best practice and re-open a small number of stores as a trial, while keeping our colleagues and customers safe.
The trial stores are: Cardiff (Culverhouse Cross), Chester, Coventry (Brandon Road), Fareham, Gillingham, Ipswich, Nursling, Paisley, Plymouth, Stockport, Sutton in Ashfield, Watford, West Thurrock, and York (Hull Road).
Click + Collect is temporarily not available at these stores."
The Paisley and Thurrock stores opened on on Friday April 17, followed by the remaining twelve stores on Saturday April 18.
B&Q has issued the following update in relation to the safety measures that have been put in place in its open stores:
"Similar to shopping at supermarkets, we’ve introduced social distancing controls at our re-opened stores. We’re strictly limiting the number of customers in store at any one time, and so you may find you need to queue if you visit the store. To help remind everyone to respect each other’s personal space, we have two metre floor markers throughout the store and also perspex screens at our checkouts.
"At these re-opened stores, customers can purchase products that are available for takeaway in store on the day. However, services such as kitchen and bathroom design, paint mixing, timber cutting and key cutting are not available for the time being. We are accepting card, gift card and contact-less payments only."
B&Q said it is unsure how long its other stores will remain closed.
Source : Insight DIY Team
Insight provides a host of information I need on many of our company’s largest customers. I use this information regularly with my team, both at a local level as well as with our other international operations. It’s extremely useful when sharing market intelligence information with our corporate office.
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