Retailers Say They Are ‘Shocked’ By Decision To Close Nonessential Stores

RETAIL EXCELLENCE HAS said he was surprised by today’s announcement that all non-essential stores would have to close tomorrow at 6:00 pm under the new Level 5 restrictions.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced that the nation will re-enter Level 5 starting at midnight tonight and that all non-essential outlets will have until close of business tomorrow to close their doors.

Retail Excellence expressed “shock and dismay” at the government’s decision to extend the new Covid-19 restrictions to include non-essential outlets.

The group represents retailers of all sizes across the country, which together employ some 280,000 people.

Duncan Graham, CEO of Retail Excellence, described the move as “a hammer blow for the retail industry.”

Graham said the retailers had followed government guidelines since reopening a few weeks ago and carefully managed customer volumes and health and safety protocols.

He said, “We did everything they asked us to do over the Christmas period. We restricted the number of clients in the run-up to Christmas, we handled the post-Christmas period with great care and sensitivity as requested and we paid great attention to ensuring that security protocols were adhered to.

“Even earlier this week, Taoiseach himself acknowledged that there is no evidence that retail is contributing to the spread of the virus, but now we are forced to shut down.”

Graham added that the news would devastate local businesses across the country and that his heart goes out to our members who have worked so hard to show that they can be trusted to handle this difficult situation.

“After the year we’ve had, I’m afraid that many stores that are closing now will never reopen. Our members will need urgent and significant financial support to have any chance of reopening and we will seek urgent meetings with the government on how to manage rents, taxes and payroll, given the prolonged lockdowns we have had to endure over the past nine months. “