Halfords set to reopen Ipswich and Colchester stores

A number of Halfords stores are set to reopen in East Anglia as the chain named 53 sites where customers will be allowed back in.

The bike and car parts retailer said it had seen a surge in bike sales since the government relaxed lockdown rules and encouraged commuting which avoids public transport.

It now plans to open up its stores at Ipswich Euro, Colchester, Braintree and Norwich.

MORE – Discount chain QD reopens six more storesHalfords was allowed to remain open throughout the coronavirus lockdown as it is classed as an “essential” business but chose to close sites and operate a model where customers could only make purchased from outside or online. A total of 335 of its 446 retail stores have been run according to its “retail lite” model.

New rules include reduced customers, queuing marshals, safety notices and floor markings, sneeze screen visors for staff and instructions to customers not to handle or try on products.

Chief executive Graham Stapleton said: “There has been a big surge in demand for our bike products and services as people have taken to cycling during the lockdown, both for commuting and for fun.

“We are also anticipating a similar level of demand for our motoring products and services in the coming days, as people begin to use vehicles again that in some cases will have been off the road for many weeks.”

As well as its retail stores, Halfords has 346 of its 373 garages and 77 vans operating under a contactless model.

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