McColls announces stores remain open amid Covid-19 virus outbreak

McColls Retail Group has today announced that it is to keep its stores open amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The convenience retailer said it has put into place a range of policies “designed to protect our colleagues and customers, keep our stores open and trading safely, and to enable our head office to support our stores via remote working arrangements.”

McColls said during this period of “uncertainty and unprecedented disruption”, its priority is the health and safety of its colleagues and customers.

McColls said: “We continue to closely monitor the latest government advice and offer our support to the government to help serve local communities across the UK.”

Yesterday, prime minister Boris Johnson revealed a list of retailers which offer essential service were excluded from the lockdown, which included corner shops and food retailers.

Jonathan Miller, chief executive, said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is of paramount importance to us and informs all that we do.

“I would like to thank all of our colleagues who are working incredibly hard to keep the neighbourhood communities we serve supplied with the food, goods and services they need on a daily basis. Given the situation, we urge our customers – over half of whom live within just 400m of our stores – to buy only what they need and to help the elderly and vulnerable with their shopping needs if they are able to do so.”