Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
As lockdown begins to ease, it could cost SMEs hundreds of pounds to fit out their shops so that they are compliant with social distancing guidelines.
On top of their regular outgoings, business owners will be wondering if they have everything they need to operate in this strange new environment.
What is the situation so far?
In his speech on 10 May, Boris Johnson announced that if the COVID-19 situation improves, shops could gradually be reopened from 1 June.
The BEIS have previously laid out draft rules for businesses on how to run post-lockdown. Some of the guidelines focus on safety measures to take for your staff and your customers.
We’ve tallied up the costs of some of the essential items you’ll need to restart your shop-based business.
COVID-19 safety equipment for shops
The items we searched come from workplace supply shops such as Viking, Staples and Nisbets. Please note that all of the prices below exclude VAT.
PPE
Total: £52.48
Hygiene
- Hand sanitiser wall unit – £249
- Alcohol hand sanitiser (500ml) – £9.99
- Carex Liquid Hand Soap Refill Antibacterial Professional Original (5L) – £23.99
- EcoTech Disinfectant Surface Wipes Bucket (500) – £14.99
- ‘Now wash your hands’ sign for staff – £3.99
Total: £301.96
Messaging/barriers
- Wrap around sneeze guard (70cm) – £79.99
- Wait to be called forward floor sticker (45cm x 45cm) – £9.95
- Office depot warning tape (50mm x 66m) – £5.49
- ‘Please keep your distance’ floor graphic – £5.99
- Black wall-mounted stretch barrier (2.3m) – £140.70
- Vinyl floor stickers – £17.99
Total: £260.11
Grand total: £614.55
Ways to bring down the price
If you’d prefer not to fork over as much cash, you can make savings by taking a more DIY approach. Try using the tools below to create your own social distancing signage and markings.
- Duck (duct) tape markings to mark out distancing in queues (50m x 50mm) – £6.59 – Screwfix
- 500 sheets of white A4 paper for writing signs – £2.85
- SCHNEIDER Permanent Marker Maxx marker pens – 75p per pen
You can also get guidance and money off goods if you become a member of the British Independent Retail Association (Bira).
Read more
How to re-organise your shop post lockdown
What is the average cost of fitting out my shop for coronavirus?
via https://ift.tt/2Jn9P8X by Anna Jordan, Khareem Sudlow
