Car showrooms in Wales and Scotland have been given the green light to reopen, which will mean that car dealers in all four parts of the United Kingdom are all allowed to operate again.
Showrooms in England have been open since lockdown restrictions partially lifted on 1 June, with Northern Ireland following on 8 June. Tougher measures in Scotland and Wales have meant showrooms in those two countries have remained shut.
But now car dealers in Wales have been given the green light to open their doors again today (22 June). Scottish showrooms will open the week after, on 29 June.
For many people in Wales and Scotland, it will be their first chance to browse and buy a new car since lockdown restrictions were implemented in March.
If you’re in Wales, you’ll need to remain ‘local’ to stay within the law – this generally means not travelling more than five miles from your home. This rule is expected to remain in place for another fortnight.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who announced the plans to open up retail on 18 June, also spoke directly to would-be customers – asking people to “exercise patience, stick to the measures that are in place for your safety, and at all times please respect retail staff who will be asking you to shop in a different way”.
Car dealers are all implementing strict social distancing measures with many introducing one-way systems on their sites, and taking extra precautions when it comes to cleaning.
