Halfords store in Eastbourne reopens as “Retail Lite” store with extensive social distancing measures in place
Halfords is reopening its store in Eastbourne with extensive social distancing measures in place, using an operating model that has been called “Retail Lite”.
The Eastbourne store is one of 53 Halfords stores that will be operating under this new “Retail Lite” model and the reopening follows successful trials at Halfords Peterborough and Bristol Cribbs Causeway stores. This will be the first time that customers have been allowed instore since the lockdown was put in place in the UK.
Having been granted essential retailer status, 335 of Halfords’ 446 retail stores have until now been operating under a Dark Store model during the lockdown – including the Eastbourne store. This means that customers have been unable to browse and instead have been placing orders with Halfords colleagues outside the front of the store.
While the majority of Halfords’ stores will continue to operate as Dark Stores for the time being, the Eastbourne store will re-open under this new “Retail Lite” model. However, there is no timetable or deadline in place for doing so and the pace will instead be dictated entirely by the company’s confidence that it can keep its colleagues and customers safe.
The extensive range of social distancing measures that will be in place include the following:
- Only a safe number of customers allowed in the store at any one time
- Queue marshalling in place outside the store
- Safety notices and floor markings to remind customers about social distancing
- Cleaning station at the front of the store, with supplies of hand sanitiser and wipes
- ‘Sneeze screens’ and visors for colleagues
- Customers will be asked not to handle or try on products
- Customers will be asked to book bike consultation and collection slots online or over the phone in advance, wherever possible
“We are pleased to be in a position to start letting our customers back into our Eastbourne store”, said Graham Stapleton, CEO of Halfords. “However, we are going to be reopening our stores to customers gradually and cautiously in order to be absolutely certain that our colleagues and customers have a safe environment in which to work and shop.
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.
The launch of our new Retail Lite model, which will be in place in our Eastbourne store, will assist us in meeting this increased demand, which in turn will allow us to continue helping to keep the UK moving.”
In addition to its retail stores, Halfords currently has 346 of its 373 garages, and 77 vans, operating under a contactless model.
The full list of stores that are reopening under the “Retail Lite” model is below and short video with details on how Halfords has changed the ways its stores operate in line with the new model can be viewed here: https://www.halfords.com/customer-services/shopping-at-halfords/covid-19-updates.html
Halfords is also launching a free Road Ready Car Check, which is a 30-minute service covering checks on tyre depth, tyre inflation, performing a battery health test, headlights and brake lights, screen wash, AdBlue, coolant and oil levels. It is intended to help keep motorists in control and reassure them at this critical time. Further details can be found here: https://www.halfords.com/motoring/batteries/car-batteries/full-car-check-315006.html
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