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First minister Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday (16 March) that lockdown restrictions affecting some non-essential retailers will be eased as soon as next month.
Garden centres, homeware stores, non-essential click-and-collect services and hairdressers will be able to reopen as soon as 5 April.
Most non-essential retailers will continue to be closed until 26 April, which is the original date that had been previously set for reopening.
Scotland’s stay-at-home order will be lifted on 2 April, however, with travel restrictions removed entirely from 26 April.
In reaction to the announcement, David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “This announcement provides much-needed certainty to the industry, and its welcome to see moves to unwind a number of the elevated lockdown restrictions which were implemented at the turn of the year.
“The easing of these restrictions is good news for shoppers and the economy. It should provide a cashflow and confidence fillip for the retailers concerned and their suppliers. Now that we know which shops can open and when, retailers can begin communicating their plans with their workforces, suppliers and customers.”
He added: “So-called non-essential shops stand ready to play their part in getting Scotland’s economy moving again, after a torrid twelve months which has seen retail sales and shopper footfall slump and shop vacancies spike to a six-year high.
“What our members want most of all is to get back to trading as soon as it is safe to do so, looking after customers and providing the goods and services we all need and want.”
