A growing number of retailers are announcing on their websites that they are closing shops and in some cases suspending online deliveries on Monday, in a mark of respect on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. The closures may well mean that next Monday, confirmed as a Bank Holiday two days ago, will be the most widely observed of this year outside of Christmas Day.
While two extra Bank Holidays were given for the Platinum Jubilee in June, many retailers opened as normal or with slightly reduced hours. However, the coming Monday will be a national day of mourning and businesses want to enable their staff to pay their respects.
B&Q will close all of its UK stores on Monday and is also suspending both its home delivery and click and collect services for the day. On its website it says it is taking the action, “as a mark of respect for the State Funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to offer our colleagues the opportunity to pay their respects”.
Ikea is closing all of its stores and closing its business operations in the UK “out of respect for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to enable our co-workers to participate in Her funeral.”
Sainsbury’s is also closing its stores and pausing its delivery and collection services on Monday, “as a mark of respect”. Lidl too is closing all its UK stores on Monday “in honour of Her Majesty and to allow our colleagues to pay their respects.”
Retailers that are closing their stores on Monday and have already signalled this on their website also include department stores Selfridges, Harrods (pictured) and Liberty London.
