Leading grocery chains will close larger stores and cease online deliveries, in a bid to give colleagues the opportunity to mark the occasion.
The decision to close has not been plain-sailing for one major UK organisation, Center Parcs which owns multiple holiday sites across the kingdom.
UK retailers are under no obligation to suspend business on Monday September 19th, but many have announced that they will do so as a mark of respect for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The funeral will held in London at Westminster Abbey and the date has been declared a bank holiday, allowing many workers the opportunity to mark the occasion and pay their respects.
Some major sporting events have already been postponed, and there has been a flurry of announcements from UK businesses regarding arrangements for the day itself, following a national period of mourning which officially ends the day after the Queen’s funeral.
The decision about whether to cease trading on the day is “at the discretion of individual businesses”, according to government guidance. A majority of leading retailers have announced closure or reduced trading on the day.
The leading grocery chains will close larger stores and cease online deliveries, in a bid to give colleagues the opportunity to mark the occasion. Tesco, ASDA, Aldi, Lidl, Sainsburys and Morrisons have all announced they will close stores, with some brands announcing that smaller convenience stores will be open for limited hours.
“All our supermarkets will be closed on Monday, 19 September as a mark of respect and so colleagues can pay tribute to Her Majesty,” a spokeswoman for Morrisons supermarket confirmed. The retailer has also stated it has ‘turned down’ sound levels on self-checkouts with store music and tannoy announcements switched off as a mark of respect.
Other retail brands including John Lewis & Marks & Spencer will also close on the day of the state funeral.
