Queues already building outside Sunderland's B&Q just hours after it reopens to shoppers

B&Q temporarily closed its stores after the UK went into lockdown on Monday March 23, yet several outlets have since reopened.

On Wednesday, April 22, the DIY chain’s Washington store reopened to customers and saw huge queues as barriers were put in place to ensure shoppers could adhere to social distancing rules.

The Sunderland and Washington stores are operating with reduced opening hours of 8am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sundays as normal.

Two-metre floor markers have been placed throughout the store to allow customers to follow social distancing guidelines and perspex screens have been installed at the checkouts.

Only products that customers can take away from the store today are available and the store is only accepting card and contactless payments.

Services such as kitchen and bathroom design, paint mixing, timber cutting and key cutting are not available.

Click and collect services are available online at diy.com however it may take several days for orders to be ready. Home delivery is also available for a limited range of products.

TradePoint is available at all re-opened stores and Trade customers are also able to purchase products online at trade-point.co.uk.

A B&Q spokesperson said: "As an essential retailer, we’re committed to providing the best possible service to support customers’ home improvement needs at this difficult time, while keeping customers and colleagues safe.

"Having watched other essential retailers support social distancing in their stores, we are now following their best practice and are re-opening some stores with strict social distancing measures in place.

"Similar to shopping at a supermarket, we’re strictly limiting the number of customers in store at any one time, and so customers are typically queueing before entering stores. All stores have a designated queuing area outside and these have two metre markers to help remind everyone to respect each other’s personal space.”

They added: "We’re urging all customers to follow the Government’s social distancing guidelines, to shop responsibly only for what is necessary and to be patient whilst we give them the best possible service in the safest possible way."

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