Non-essential stores to close in Wales post-Christmas

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 16, 2020

​Non-essential retailers in Wales received some bad news on Wednesday as the devolved government said they would have to stay closed from December 26. The shutdown will be reviewed three weeks later.

While the post-Christmas sales aren't as important as they used to be because of pre-Christmas discounting, the period from December 26 is still an important one on the retail calendar and fashion and beauty stores will not now be able to take advantage of it except through their online operations.

The Welsh government is also telling hair and beauty salons that they will have to shut before Christmas.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has called the coronavirus situation "extremely serious" with around 20% of people testing positive for the virus, even though it had been hoped that an early two-week autumn lockdown (before other parts of the UK went into a second lockdown) would mean Wales was in a better position than it is on infection rates.

The move to stricter regulations in Wales comes as it’s also going to allow only two households to mix for the Christmas period, a divergence from the wider UK strategy that will allow three households to get together. 

Drakeford said: "Only two households should get together. That's how serious things are. I can't go beyond that until the results of the discussions between the four governments are published later today.”

The big question is whether the new rules in Wales are the start of a wider clampdown in the UK generally that could see non-essential retail shutting again across the country after the festive season.