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Which B&Q stores have reopened with social distancing measures?

The retailer shut all its stores on 25 March but is now reopening some to customers across the UK

Louise Whitbread
Monday 27 April 2020 09:00 BST
The reopened stores will have two-metre markings on the floor and Perspex screens installed at tills to protect both staff and customers
The reopened stores will have two-metre markings on the floor and Perspex screens installed at tills to protect both staff and customers (iStock)

DIY retailer B&Q is partially back in business, after reopening 155 of its 300 stores across the UK.

It follows its decision to re-open 14 stores in mid-April to trial social-distancing measures. DIY stores have been classed as essential businesses by the government as they stock items that help keep homes warm, safe and accessible to power.

The success of these measures, including customers staying two metres apart and following hygiene practices mean B&Q has now reopened just over half of all its stores in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

In response to the government-mandated lockdown in an attempt to curb the coronavirus spread, B&Q shut all of its stores on 25 March, with only home delivery and click and collect services remaining in place for customers.

You can trust our independent roundups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

The opening times of the 155 DIY stores are between 8am and 5pm, but this may vary between branches, so check the online store finder tool on its website to ensure you have the correct details.

The B&Q website currently has an average queue time of an hour.

The reopened stores will have two-metre markings on the floor and Perspex screens installed at tills to protect both staff and customers. Kitchen and bathroom design, paint mixing, timber cutting and key cutting services will remain unavailable.

To ensure stores don’t become crowded, B&Q is capping the number of customers allowed in-store, which may mean more queueing and stores will only be accepting card, gift card or contactless payments.

At these stores, customers can only purchase products that are available to take away on the day.

The government has also urged people not to undertake major home renovations as council waste collection services are currently reduced as it works to manage the coronavirus.

Instead, nail your smaller DIY projects, such as hanging up Matisse-inspired artwork, revamping with soft-furnishings or finding inspiration via interior apps.

In previous weeks, customers shopping online with B&Q's home delivery service saw delays of up to two weeks and long waiting times to gain access to the website.

Its home delivery service starts from £5 but is free on orders of more than £50. However, it currently does not stock its full product range.

This is the full list of B&Q stores now open:

England

Ashford
Ashton-Under-Lyne
Aylesbury
Barnsley (Dearne Valley)
Basildon
Basingstoke
Beckton
Birmingham – Erdington, Halesowen & Solihull
Blackburn
Blackpool
Bognor Regis
Bolton
Brighton
Bristol – Longwell Green & Hartcliffe​
Burton upon Trent
Bury
Camborne
Cambridge
Cannock
Castleford (Glasshoughton)
Chard
Chelmsford
Cheltenham
Chester
Chesterfield
Clacton-on-Sea​
Colchester
Coventry – Alvis Retail Park & Brandon Road
Crawley
Crewe
Darlington
Dartford
Derby
Devizes
Doncaster
Dover
Eastleigh
Exeter
Fareham
Farnborough
Gillingham
Gloucester
Gravesend
Great Yarmouth
Grimsby
Halifax
Handforth
Havant
High Wycombe
Huddersfield
Hull – Ferry Lane & St Andrews Quay
Ipswich
Kings Lynn
Leeds – Beeston Ring Road & Killingbeck​
Leicester
Leigh
Liverpool – Aintree & Liverpool Shopping Park
London – Acton, Chiswick, Cricklewood, Croydon, Enfield, Greenwich, Leyton, New Malden, Peckham, Sutton & Yeading​
Loughborough
Luton
Macclesfield
Manchester – Cheetham Hill & Trafford Park
Middlesbrough
Milton Keynes
Nelson
Newcastle (Scotswood)
Northampton
Northwich
Norwich
Norwich Hall Road
Nottingham – Eastwood, Netherfield & Riverside
Oldham
Peterborough
Plymouth
Portsmouth
Preston (Bamber Bridge)
Reading
Romford ​– Roneo Corner & Tangent Link
Scunthorpe
Sheffield (Queens Road)
Shrewsbury
Slough
Southampton - Hedge End & Nursling
Southend
Speke
St.Helens
Stafford
Stevenage
Stockport
Stockton on Tees
Stoke-On-Trent (Meir Park)Stroud
Sunderland
Sutton in Ashfield​
Tamworth
Taunton
Torquay
Tunbridge Wells
Tyne & Wear - North Shields & Washington
Wallasey
Warrington
Watford
Wednesbury
Wellingborough
West Thurrock
Wigan
Yeovil
York – Clifton Moor & Hull Road

Northern Ireland

Belfast (Holywood Exchange)
Lisburn (Sprucefield)
Newtownabbey

Scotland

Aberdeen – Bridge Of Don & Garthdee Road
Bishopbriggs
Coatbridge​
Dundee
East Kilbride
Edinburgh – Hermiston Gait & Newcraighall​
Glasgow – Darnley, Great Western Rd & Parkhead​
Inverness
Kirkcaldy
Paisley

Wales

Caerphilly
Cardiff – Cardiff Gate & Culverhouse Cross
Merthyr Tydfil
Newport
Swansea

Read more on how to get DIY supplies in our roundup of stores that are still delivering

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