Following the announcements made by the Prime Minister last night, the Government has issued a guidance document on further business closures through the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.
- All non-essential premises must now close.
- Takeaway and delivery services may remain open and operational in line with guidance on Friday 20 March.
- Online retail is still open and encouraged and postal and delivery service will run as normal.
Retail and public premises which the Government expects to remain open must:
- Ensure a distance of two meters between customers and shop assistants; and
- Let people enter the shop only in small groups, to ensure that spaces are not crowded.
- Queue control is required outside of shops and other essential premises that remain open.
Parks will remain open but only for individuals and households to exercise once a day. Communal spaces within parks such as playgrounds and football pitches will be closed.
Non-essential businesses and premises must now shut. Closures will be enforceable by law
The Government will look again at theses measures in three weeks.
A reminder that HMRC has announced measures to support wages, cashflow for businesses and the welfare system and measures to support business including the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant (RHLG) and business rates holidays. Details of support measures announced on our site and on the Governments’s Business Support Pages.