Freshney Place to reopen with extended hours
CENTRE TEAM SAY IT WILL ALLOW FOR SAFER SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
FRESHNEY Place is extending ng its opening hours for this week ek as it reopens today as coronaviirus restrictions lift. Only essential stores have e been permitted to trade in the e shopping centre but it will reo- pen fully to the public today y when guidelines allow non- essential shops to open.
The reopening of non-essential retail is part of the government’s roadmap to cautiously y ease out of lockdown and strict safety measures will remain in place - including the compulsory wearing of face masks, social distancing and extra hygiene procedures.
In a move to ensure everyone’s safety, the shopping centre will be opening slightly earlier from today to Saturday, April 17, from 8am- 5.30pm. Individual retailer trading hours may vary.
Sunday, April 18, will remain at the usual hours of 10.30am to 4.30pm. All entrances at Freshney Place will be open along with both multi storey car parks, the customer service desk and customer service team will be available as well as shop mobility, collect plus and the public toilets. Amanda Austin, centre director of Freshney Place said: “We are looking forward to welcoming our customers back following what we really hope will be the last national lockdown.
“It’s been a very challenging 12 months for everyone however we are not out of the woods yet and we continue to ask our customers to be vigilant in terms of mask wearing and social distancing rules.
“The safety of everyone in the shopping centre is our absolute priority and our retailers and staff have been working extremely hard to be able to reopen safely.
“We are all looking forward to welcoming customers back although it’s important that we manage everyone’s return carefully.
“We want to avoid any congestion in the initial opening period and that is why we are extending the shopping centre’s hours for the first week, giving our customers the space for a relaxed, comfortable shopping experience.” When stores reopen, staff and members of the public will need to follow the Government’s ‘Covid-secure’ measures, which state exactly what precautions people must take to help keep Covid infections under control. Social contact rules in England will not change at this point and outdoor gatherings will still be limited to six people or two households, as in Step One. No indoor mixing will be allowed unless people are exempt.
If you venture to the shops, you should do so alone or with household groups.
You’ll still be required to wear a face covering when visiting a store, unless you’re medically exempt, all newly open settings must also abide by social distancing rules.
Advice on the government website states the Government will continue to enforce restrictions and “require businesses to demonstrate robust strategies for managing the risk of transmission and to ensure social distancing rules are followed”.
Fitting rooms will be permitted to reopen today, but not all stores will choose to make them available. The latest Government guidance says: “The enclosed nature of fitting rooms may result in increased risk of transmission of Covid-19. They should therefore be carefully managed to reduce that risk.
“Retail businesses should update their risk assessments for each premises where fitting rooms are being used.”