How shopping at JD Sports will look as North East stores get ready to reopen

The company, which has continued to trade online after non-essential shops were ordered to close by the Government, has confirmed all its stores across England will reopen from June 15, as lockdown restrictions ease further.

The chain said its entire 309-strong estate in England will reopen after the Government gave the go-ahead for non-essential retail to restart.

This will include stores in the Bridges in Sunderland, The Galleries in Washington, Prince Bishops and Arnison shopping centres in Durham, King Street in South Shields and Middleton Grange shopping centre in Hartlepool.

It also has shops in Manor Walks in Cramlington, The Cornmill Centre in Darlington, Gateshead Metrocentre, the Cleveland Shopping Centre in Middlesbrough, Byker and Northumberland Street in Newcastle, Silverlink Retail Park, Newcastle International Airport, North Shields, Stockton and Teesside Retail Park.

It will also open its high street and open-air stores in Northern Ireland from Friday, June 12, but shopping centres there will remain closed.

The group is planning to reopen across Scotland and Wales when lockdown restrictions are eased.

Retailers are preparing to reopen on Monday, with Marks & Spencer and a slimmed-down Debenhams among those once again opening their doors to customers.

But shoppers will see closed changing rooms, restrictions on touching goods and one-way systems in place, as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

JD Sports said it will be allowing a limited number of shoppers in stores, providing hand sanitising stations, protective screens at tills, separating returned stock for 72 hours to reduce transmission, and closing changing rooms, in line with Government guidance.

It has also given staff social distance training, while each store will have a "host" near the entrance to manage access and answer customer questions on safety measures.

Peter Cowgill, executive chairman, said: "Following 12 weeks of lockdown, we recognise the continued importance of maintaining social distancing and a safe environment in which to work and shop, and therefore have taken all necessary steps and precautions to give our staff and customers the confidence that they can safely return to our stores."

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