OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Are B&M and Home Bargains open during the second coronavirus lockdown?
DISCOUNTERS B&M and Home Bargains will keep their doors open for customers through England's second lockdown.
The four-week national shutdown - which started on November 5 - has forced all non-essential shops to close once again.
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The closures will leave many of us relying on online retailers to get our hands on products, such as clothes, electricals and furniture.
Meanwhile, essential shops such as supermarkets are allowed to stay open.
During the last lockdown, both B&M and Home Bargains were considered essential because they sold food and household goods, and stayed open for shoppers.
This guidance remains the same this time around, and both retailers told The Sun they'll continue to welcome customers during lockdown.
What stores must CLOSE during England's second lockdown?
THESE are the businesses that have to close until December 2:
- Restaurants
- Pubs
- Bars
- Non-essential shops, including electronics and clothing stores
- Hairdressers and nail salons
- Gyms
- Vehicle showrooms
- Travel agents
- Betting shops
- Auction houses
- Tailors
- Car washes
- Tobacco and vape shops
- Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms
- Swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges
- Dance studios
- Stables and riding centres
- Soft play centres
- Climbing walls
- Archery and shooting ranges
- Water and theme parks
- Theatres and concert halls
- Cinemas
- Museums and galleries
- Bingo halls
- Adult gaming centres, casinos and arcades
- Zoos and other animal attractions
- Botanical gardens
- Tattoo and piercing parlours
- Spas
- Massage parlours
- Tanning salons
- Non-medical acupuncture
This means you won't see any changes from how Home Bargains and B&M shops have been operating over the past few months.
B&M says that it is open for business and is urging customers not to start panic buying.
A statement on the website read: "There’s no need to panic buy – our warehouses are full and we are working super hard to keep stock flowing into stores."
There are approximately 600 B&M stores across the UK - you can find your nearest one and check its opening hours by using the
Stores have been updated with protective screens at checkouts and B&M staff have sanitizer, face masks and gloves.
Home Bargains' opening hours also vary from shop to shop so you're best off checking to find out what's happening at your local.
The discounter is limiting the number of customers allowed into each store at any one time.
Businesses that can stay OPEN during England's second lockdown
THE list of businesses that are allowed to stay open during lockdown is largely the same as last time. These include:
- Supermarkets
- Pharmacies
- Takeaways, food deliveries and food shops
- Health shops
- Medical services, such as dentists
- Vets
- Newsagents
- Pet shops
- Hardware stores
- Garden centres
- Retail shops in hospitals
- Petrol stations
- Bicycle shops
- Laundrettes and dry cleaners
- Undertakers
- Banks, building societies
- Short-term loan providers, credit unions and cash points
- Storage and distribution 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
- Hotels, hostels and other accommodation (for work purposes only)
If a store reaches its limit, a staff member will ask you to queue outside until there is space.
When the queuing system is in place, B&M gives priority access to NHS and care workers, so make sure you bring your ID with you.
It also gives priority access to disabled and elderly customers who may not be able to queue up for long periods of time.
B&M is asking customers to use contactless payments where possible, and has upped its contactless limit to £45.
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Pubs, hairdressers, and gyms are among the businesses that have been forced to close in England - check out the full list.
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