Sir John Timpson warns some High Street retailers won't survive Covid-19 lockdown

Warning from head of High Street chain comes as retailers across the UK feel the financial pinch of coronavirus restrictions
Timpson is set to reopen 40 of its outlets across the UK this week
PA Wire
David Child27 April 2020

Some High Street retailers will not survive the economic slump brought on by the coronavirus lockdown, the chairman of Timpson has warned.

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme on Monday, Sir John Timpson warned high streets would look "somewhat different" after the restrictions were eased.

Shops deemed non-essential by the Government have been shuttered since last month as part of the nationwide lockdown rolled out to curtail the spread of Covid-19.

Several high-profile retailers have since plunged into administration due to a collapse in income, while the economy sinks towards an expected recession.

"There are going to be some names that don't come back," Sir Timpson said.

"And it's going to provide an opportunity, particularly for local authorities, to really think further ahead about what their High Streets should be like."

His comments came as Timpson, a key-cutting and repair firm, which also owns photo specialists Snappy Snaps and Johnsons dry cleaners, readies to reopen 40 of its outlets across the UK this week.

Employees will return to outlets based in supermarkets, which are classified as essential retailers, along with several of the group's High Street dry-cleaning stores.

"The most important part of this is to get the safety right," Sir Timpson said.

He added, however, that he still wasn't certain how social distancing measures were going to work "bearing in mind we've got a shop inside someone else's shop".

The retailer will install perspex screens to separate staff from customers at the checkout and provide employees with face masks in a bid to safeguard them.

Speaking separately on Monday, Trade Unions Congress (TUC) general secretary Frances O'Grady ​urged businesses taking steps towards resuming trading to proceed cautiously.

"Everybody wants people to get back to work safely so that we can get the economy back on its feet," she told the BBC's Today programme.

"But workers have to know, and be confident, that their health and safety is being put first.

"Otherwise, we're going to see this virus spread again and we'll be back to square one."

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