Queues and busy car parks as IKEA stores in Exeter and Bristol re-open as lockdown is eased
A man queued for two hours outside IKEA to ensure he was one of the first in the store as it re-opened following a two month closure.
Steven John, who moved house just before the coronavirus lockdown, joked staff thought he was a 'superfan' after arriving two hours before the Exeter store's opening.
The Exeter furniture store joined the Bristol branch as one of 19 across England and Northern Ireland to re-open.
Many reported long queues with customers anxious to shop for flat-packed furniture and other household goods.
Queues were partly due to measures brought in by IKEA to ensure everybody who queued, and entered the stores, did so at a social distance.
The safety measures include:
Cashless payments only
Limited numbers allowed into stores at one time
Queuing system outside to stagger entry into the store
Car parks restricted
One adult and one child per household permitted
Customers to come with ready-made lists and their own shopping bags
Customers should not come just to process refunds. IKEA has a 365-day returns policy
Hand sanitisers stationed throughout the store
New protective screens at key points such as checkouts
Play areas remain closed
How to protect yourself against Coronavirus
IKEA says it will have co-workers and signage throughout the store to help customers stick to social distancing guidelines.
Staff at the Swedish retail giant will also be doing extra cleaning, and sterilising to make the whole store as safe as possible.
Although the car park was full at Bristol's IKEA, next to the M32, no queues were reported - in stark contrast to the crowds and queues outside the store's other branches.