As from the 15th June 2020 non-essential shops re-opened across Britain along with with preventative health and safety measures. All non-essential stores selling merchandise such as clothing, books and footwear have been closed since the 23rd March 2020 and many debated if re-opening would generate much interest. Looking at the queues over the past week, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’! The general public do want to shop, even if it means queuing and abiding by new safety measures.
Long before Covid-19 impacted our daily lives plans for our own shop the ‘FC Designer Collective’ in collaboration with Islington Council and the Mayor of London (Good Growth Fund) were well underway. More than just a store the FC Designer Collective will act as a hub for creatives in the North London area with in-house making facilities, regular meet-ups, seminars and events alongside locally made designs and products. Now the green light has been given for shops to reopen we can now confirm dates and plans for this exciting retail concept.
CEO of Fashion-Enter Ltd Jenny Holloway comments: “We are really looking forward to the opening of the ‘FC Designer Collective’ at the end July located at 113-115, Fonthill Road, Islington. This will be a new type of retail shop, which will include garments being made on-site with an alterations and repairs facility, plus a range of local designers from the various sewing groups that exist in Islington. This programme will then extend to the opening of Affordable Workspace at the early part of next year too so very exciting times ahead!”
(The FC Designer Collective has been undergoing a refit during lockdown)
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As a small, independent shop safety measures will be easier to implement and maintain. However, not all shops across Britain have reopened. Some major High Street chains such as John Lewis and Next are phasing the reopening of their stores. Looking further ahead pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, hotels and cinemas are looking at the 4th July to reopen at the very earliest, and that’s if they can meet the social distancing measures in place. Many have reported that the two-metre social distancing rule is unworkable. The pressure is now on to get the economy restarted as furlough schemes are wound down and people return back to work.