Prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce that all non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen on 2 December.
This afternoon, Mr Johnson will explain the details of England’s return to the “three tier system”, when the lockdown ends on 2 December, according to BBC News.
While parts of the tier system are expected to be tougher, non-essential shops can reopen along with gyms.
The prime minister will also unveil plans for mass testing to be introduced in all tier three areas. And, rapid testing will form part of the stricter system, with support from the military.
The news follows calls from the retail sector last week for clarity over Christmas reopening (see Direct Commerce news story).
Over 60 retail bosses, along with the British Retail Consortium, said that stores are being ‘deprived’ of around £2bn per week sales as a result of closures.
A continued period of retail closure could result in many stores never reopening and put “hundreds of thousands of retail jobs at risk,” they warned.
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