AN organisation representing retail businesses in Scotland has urged the Scottish Government to issue an indicative timescale for when shops will be able to re-open.

Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) director David Lonsdale warned that retailers need some form of timescale to work towards.

A wider range of shops are eligible to re-open in Northern Ireland as of today, including furniture or home furnishings shops, electrical appliance stores, electronics/computer and mobile phone shops.

As of a week today, a full range of shops in England will be able to open for business again. In Scotland however, no indicative – or firm – dates for re-opening have been provided.

Lonsdale said: “This is increasingly becoming make-or-break time for retailers across Scotland, as the longer that this lockdown goes on the harder it will be for them to re-open at all.

“This would have a significant detrimental impact to town centres and high streets, as well as for shopper choice.

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“What retailers want most of all is to get back to trading, looking after customers and providing the goods and services we all need and want.

“Whilst retailers in Northern Ireland and England are in the enviable position of knowing when they are likely to be able to re-open, shopkeepers here in Scotland are somewhat in the dark and don’t have a firm timetable to work towards.

“Those shops who have been open and trading during the crisis have led the way in providing a safe environment for shoppers and staff.

“Those stores still to be allowed to re-open are working hard to get ready to do so safely, putting in place the necessary social distancing and hygiene measures to protect customers and staff.

“Whenever that day comes, retail will be ready to play its part in getting Scotland’s economy moving again. Retail can be a springboard for the economy to bounce back, but it must be able to open.”