Record stores re-open as lockdown in England eases

A number of independent record stores and all HMV stores in England are back open from today, with social distancing being enforced and hand sanitiser available for those who want to handle products.

Record stores are allowed to open their doors for the first time in nearly three months, as non-essential retailers are permitted to open as long as stringent safety and social distancing measures are in place.

HMV are launching a new ‘List and Leave’ service so you can drop off a list of records you’d like to buy before collecting later as well as a 'Ring and Reserve' service too.

HMV owner Doug Putman commented: “Our teams have been working on plans to re-open since the day we had to close our doors. We’ve redesigned our store layouts so that customers can make their way through the stores, buy what they want and pay seamlessly, while still providing spaces for those who want to browse while maintaining social distancing”.

For the rest of the UK, in Northern Ireland, non-essential shops reopened on Friday, yet there is still no date set for Wales and Scotland.

COVID-19 is clearly having a huge impact on people and economies across the world. One of the industries which is taking a particularly hard hit is the music and entertainment industries. With this in mind, we've created a guide to help support the music community we love and cherish. Read how you can help here.