
Shopping centres in the UK have been hit hard by Coronavirus. Shops and stores are opening and closing at short notice. If you are going shopping, it’s best to check the latest Government guidance for Covid-19 before you go.
The opening times displayed on this website will be over-ruled by the government’s rules and guidance, so please do check the guidance before heading out to the shops.
2022: Omicron variant guidance
England has moved to Plan B in response to the risks of the Omicron variant.
Many shops are still open.
The government advice is:
- Get vaccinated and get your booster dose
- Wear a face covering in most indoor public places (such as shopping centres) and on public transport
- Work from home, if you can
- Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer
- Get tested and self-isolate if required
Archive: Coronavirus guidance
In December 2020, what you can and cannot do, and what shops are open, depends on what Tier that area is in.
Before you head out to the shops, find out the coronavirus restrictions in that area:
Use the government’s postcode checker to find the Tier.
For example, at time of writing:
Tier 1: Medium alert, means: “retail businesses and premises may open but must ensure that they operate in a COVID-19-secure manner”
Tier 2: High alert, means: “retail businesses and premises may open but must ensure that they operate in a COVID-19-secure manner”
Tier 3: Very High alert, means: All essential and non-essential shops may open, “retail premises may open, other than shops situated inside closed premises that cannot be accessed directly from the street – retail premises within accommodation may also stay open”.
Tier 4: Stay at Home, means: Non-essential retail must close. Non-essential retail includes clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, and market stalls selling non-essential goods.
These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
These rules will change, so please use the government’s postcode checker to find the Tier for the area you wish to visit, before heading out to the shops.