'It's safe to go shopping' insists Chancellor Rishi Sunak ahead of Monday reopening

It will be "safe" for people to go shopping when some non-essential retail reopens on Monday, the chancellor has insisted.

Ministers are pressing ahead with plans to reopen non-essential retail, despite concerns about a rising coronavirus R number (reproduction rate) that saw many school in the North West declare they would not fully reopen on Monday, as the government had planned.

Following pressure from schools, parents, unions, politicians and councils, the government announced it would abandon its plans to fully reopen primary schools for a month before the summer holidays.

Hours later it was announced the planned reopening of some shops would go ahead, so long as they had made their business "covid-secure".

Shops must have put measures in place to allow social distancing on premises before they can reopen and any business which opens without following guidelines can be issued enforcement notices, it was announced at Tuesday evening's press conference.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, visiting a John Lewis store, said "extraordinary steps" had been taken to ensure people can "shop in confidence, knowing that it’s going to be safe".

Many shops have put measures in place to ensure their business is 'covid-secure'. Credit: PA

Among the measures in place are a one way system, a limit on the number of people who can be in the store at any one time, signage, a new process for returns and social distancing, the chancellor said.

"All of that creates a new shopping environment that won't be the same as what we're all used to and it's an environment that means you can shop in confidence," he added.

Alok Sharma told the government's daily coronavirus press conference this is the "latest step in the careful restarting of our economy", which he claims will "enable high streets up and down the country to spring back to life".

Another step, set to be formally announced later by Boris Johnson is the reopening of zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinemas, which will also open on June 15.

A Downing Street official said: “People are continuing to make huge sacrifices to reduce the spread of coronavirus and avoid a second spike, but we know it is tough and where we can safely open up more attractions, and it is supported by the science, we will do so.”

Any business that opens must complete a "Covid-19 specific risk assessment and take the necessary steps to manage those risks, as is the legal obligation", he said.

Mr Sharma said the government is following its roadmap which sets out the "ambition" to reopen other business - such as "restaurants, pubs, and bars, as well as hairdressers, barbers, nail bars and related services" - by July 4 at the earliest.

But questions remain as to how schools may return to normal, with the government "working to bring all children back to school in September".

Children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 in England began returning to primary school last week after the Government eased lockdown measures.

But some schools said they did not have enough space on site to admit all pupils in the eligible year groups, while adhering to Government guidance to limit class sizes to 15 and encourage fewer interactions.