How on earth are shopping centres going to re-open?

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I just can't see how it's going to happen, for example the metrocentre which is close to me and an indoor shopping centre, all shops next to each other, how is it going to be possible for people to que for each store, they will just overlap each other and be a chaotic surely? I'm glad they are re-opening but I just don't get how it will work for shopping centres indoors and outdoors.

The one in my town never closed, as it has essential shops in. They’ll find ways to do it, by restricting total entries to the shopping centre.

My DP said that might be the case, so queuing to get into the shopping centre do you think? I dread to think of the ques, I need to go to ikea next week as I'm moving house on Friday and have to get a few bits of furniture.. I actually had a dream/nightmare about the experience.

Anyone else?

I also don't understand how shop workers can go back to work if schools aren't open? Or will schools be expected to open up to all year groups at that point?

Maybe limit numbers of cars allowed in their carparks?

I dont understand why we could impose hand sanitation and masks and then crack on

Our shopping centre never closed either.
Only about shops open, but boy have I been grateful for them.

Not everyone drives to shopping centres though so limiting spaces in the car park won't work with those who get there by other means .

I also don't understand how shop workers can go back to work if schools aren't open?

When I worked in retail, the majority of us were students so childcare was irrelevant

I can imagine they will limit the amount of people allowed into the shopping centre itself

Then each shop will have it’s own blocked off queue, so visitors of Shop A won’t overlap with Shop B

Our local shopping centre is open as there are several banks , Superdrug and Boots (both with pharmacies) inside. I think that queuing to get into the centre then queuing to get into each shop is the likely solution. Some of the shops have entrances from the street so perhaps they will be used to reduce the congestion in the centre itself.

I think I’ll stay away!

They’ve tried to introduce a one way system in my local shopping centre. Apparently it’s chaos.

Honestly I think we should be forced to accept some have sanitiser and wear a mask

Our local one has closed the toilets and people have to queue outside to go into the centre itself. M&S and similar food stores are inside. Hardly anyone is going as it takes so long to get in. No idea when non essential shops open here as we are still in lockdown

@NeverTwerkNaked

My employer is slowly starting to reopen stores and workers without childcare have the option to remain on furlough for now.

My local shopping centre stayed open too, though lots of shops closed. They have security on the doors letting people in in stages (so if five people left, five can go in)

Also you're brave to venture to that ikea. I hate it on a good day 😂😂

I'm quite happy to stand back and see how it pans out before rushing out to do my non essential shopping. I would love a mooch around the shops but I cant imagine it's going to be much fun

Well you don't need to queue in the Metrocentre to get into ikea.

I agree that they'll have to limit entry into the mall until people have got yay shops out of their system. I think that people will remain cautious and choose to go ti, say, next and outfit at team Valley, instead, though. M&S won't be a draw because that's been partially open, anyhow (well Durham has, with just the ground floor open. Not left Durham for 2 months so no idea about the Gateshead one)

And there's only a tiny fraction of the shops in the Metrocentre that you can access from outside. Markses, house of fraser (still there?) and Debenhams, basically.

@PickAChew yes that's what I was wondering, there's at least 4 different entrances that I can think of, possibly more.

Also I know I don't need to que for metrocentre to go to ikea but was just a query. And I agree it's a bit of a nightmare at the best of times!

Our local shopping centre has stayed open, 2 supermarkets, 2 pharmacies, 2 banks, 2 health stores (realising we seem to have everything in pairs!) but not sure how it'll work when clothes shops re-open. Haven't been in for a few weeks but I think they're also trying to operate a one way system, at the moment the majority of one side is closed anyway following a fire last year so it should be quite easy to implement.