JD Sports wants to open stores in England for 24 hours a day when the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.
Under the Government's plans to ease restrictions, non-essential retailers will be allowed to welcome back customers from April 12.
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The Sun understands the retailer is hoping to stay open for shoppers day and night to make up for lost time.
There are over 400 JD Sports stores around the UK but the retailer said it won't be able to keep them all open for 24 hours a day.
Only shops in towns and cities where the council and landlords permit them to extend opening hours will be able to do so.
Primark opened shops for 24 hours a day in 11 locations in December to cash in on Christmas shoppers.
Which non-essential shops are closed right now during lockdown?
THE following types of retailers have been classed as "non-essential" and are therefore shut during lockdown.
They can still offer click and collect and home delivery services.
- Clothing shops
- Homeware shops
- Toy shops
- Vehicle showrooms (other than for rental)
- Betting shops
- Tailors
- Tobacco and vape shops
- Electronic goods shops
- Mobile phone shops
- Auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment)
- Market stalls selling non-essential goods
However, the all-night shopping experience was a one-off and saw shoppers queue for up to six hour queue to get in.
JD Sports is yet to finalise the plans, including which stores will be allowed to stay open, and exactly when the 24-hour shopping experience will happen.
Customers will have to observe social distancing when in shops in line with Government guidelines.
Branches will also continue to enforce additional health and safety measures, such as hand sanitiser stations at entrances and signs around the store to remind customers to stay apart.
Other non-essential shops planning to open as soon as they're given the go-ahead to include Primark, John Lewis and Dunelm.
Shops which don't sell essentials have been closed since January 4, when England was plunged into a third national lockdown.
The PM unveiled his four step blueprint to lift lockdown earlier this week, but warned for each step to be taken, benchmark numbers will need to be met.
These include for Covid cases, hospital admissions, vaccinations and deaths.
This means the mid-April date for stores to reopen could change if the coronavirus crisis takes a negative turn.
Pubs and restaurants have also been given the green light to open on April 12 for outside bookings only.
Assuming all goes well, the hospitality industry will be allowed to welcome back customers for indoor bookings from May 17.
Within hours of the announcement, Brits desperate to sip on a pint rushed to book tables at pubs and restaurants for when they reopen.
But Harvester and Toby Carvery owners Mitchells & Butlers has slammed the plans for "yet again pushing the hospitality sector's reopening to the back of the queue".
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