Fashion retailer Next to reopen its website two weeks after it shut down over coronavirus fears
FASHION retailer Next is to reopen its website this week following two weeks of being offline.
It was one of the few retailers to temporarily stop online trading as well as close its stores following the government's coronavirus lockdown.
The shut down of its warehouses and distribution centres was largely due to staff safety concerns but now it hopes to reopen the service after "an unbelievable amount of planning", reports the .
Following a consultation with staff, a string of new safety measures have been put in place including one-way systems and new walkways at its warehouses.
The measures have the support of Usdaw, the union for retail workers, and ensure that strict social-distancing is maintained.
More than 3,000 members of staff have volunteered to return to work but not all will begin straight away.
Shops allowed to stay open
ONLY a small group of retailers are allowed to stay open during the lockdown, they include:
- Supermarkets
- Pharmacies
- Takeaways and food deliveries
- Health shops
- Medical services - eg, dentists
- Vets
- Newsagents
- Pet shops
- Hardware stores
- Retail shops in hospitals
- Petrol stations
- Bicycle shops
- Laundrettes and dry cleaners
- Undertakers
- Banks, building socities
- Short-term loan providers, credit unions and cash points
- Storage and distribtion centres
- Post Offices
- Car rental services and car parks near vital services such as supermarkets
- Public toilets
- Car garages and repair shops
- Food banks and shelters
It's believed that the relaunch will happen in stages, starting with only a small range being made available to shoppers.
The retailer will also set limits on the number of items that can be ordered in a day so that workers can work safely to fulfil them.
It's not known exactly when the website will start taking orders again but it is expected to be in the coming days.
Following the government's lockdown announcement, many retailers have temporarily shut up shop, including food outlets like McDonald's, Nando's and Greggs..
But Next will be the first to show signs that it is reviving parts of the business while still maintaining lockdown rules.
An industry insider told the Mail: "The response to this suggests people want a return to normality, not just a return to work."
Non-essential retailers have been told that they can continue to operate online.
But, like Next, River Island and TK Maxx decided to pull their online operations as well as close stores over safety fears from staff.
Shoppers are still able to browse the Next website but are greeted with a warning that they are unable to place orders.
The message reads: "We have listened carefully to our colleagues in our warehouses and distribution operations.
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"It is clear that many increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate.
"As a result, we have taken the difficult decision to close our warehouse and distribution operations until further notice."
Orders that hadn't been fulfilled were cancelled and customers were refunded.
The Sun has contacted Next for a comment.
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