Except for Scotland, which has newly introduced a five-tier lockdown system, the UK is following a three tier system to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Areas which get put under tier three lockdown face the strictest set of restrictions, which include only pubs and bars offering ‘substantial’ meals allowed to stay open.
With more venues forced to close under tier three, there’s been some confusion over whether or not B&Q and other DIY stores remain open.
Can DIY stores stay open under tier 3 lockdown?
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Yes. In England, all shops can stay open, even in places like South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, which have gone into tier three lockdown.
During the first national lockdown in March, non-essential shops closed.
However, this time around, even in the highest-risk areas, all shops can stay open provided they adhere to social distancing measures.
Therefore, if you’re in one of the areas experiencing the strictest lockdown measures, you can pop out to B&Q or Homebase and spend your time at home touching up your place.
Is B&Q still open in Wales?
B&Q and other DIY stores are also still open in Wales, too, despite the country’s new right measures.
Wales has gone under a ‘fire-breaker’ lockdown, which is following a stricter set of rules than England.
These restrictions include all people in Wales being asked to stay at home until Monday, November 9 and all non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality and tourism businesses are closed.
However, a B&Q spokesperson clarified what that means for DIY stores to WalesOnline, satying: ‘As an essential retailer our stores in Wales will remain open.
‘To reduce the risk of transmission, in line with Government guidance, we have implemented comprehensive controls and strict social-distancing measures in all of our stores.’
How long will places stay under tier 3 restrictions?
When an area has been placed in tier three, these measures will be reviewed every four weeks, but this does not necessarily mean they will be in place for a specific amount of time.
The restrictions will be eased depending on the newest available data.
When announcing the system, Boris Johnson said: ‘Areas within the Very High Alert category will be reviewed every four weeks and nowhere will be shut down indefinitely.’
MORE: What is tier 3 lockdown?
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/25/are-bq-homebase-and-diy-stores-open-in-tier-3-lockdown-areas-13476704/