Greggs pulls back plans to reopen stores next week after fears it could attract crowds

Greggs have announced that they are pulling back on plans to reopen its first stores to the public next week over fears that it could attract crowds.

Last week, the bakery chain announced that starting May, 4, it would open 20 sites in the North East for takeaway and delivery as part of an initial trial.

However, that trial will now run “behind closed doors” after worries that customers will flock to its stores in large numbers.

A spokeswoman for Greggs said: “Due to significant interest in our 20-shop trial, and the risk that excessive numbers of customers may plan to visit Greggs, we will now initially operate these trials behind closed doors in order to effectively test our new operational safety measures.

"We will continue to review this and will invite walk-in customers into our shops only when we can be confident of doing so in the controlled manner we intended."

Greggs has intended to see if the first 20 sites could operate effectively within the current social distancing guidelines.

In a letter to staff, the chief executive Roger Whitehouse has previously said that he was hoping to open around 700 shops, including 150 franchise stores with up-to-date measures in place from June 8.

The chain then intended to open all 2,050 stores by July 1, when the current furlough support package ends.

It is unclear if these plans will still go ahead.

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