As part of national lockdown requirements that come into effect from 12.01am on Wednesday (6 January), certain businesses must close or severely restrict their activities as part of efforts to limit contacts between people to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

The following businesses and venues may remain open providing they follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect their customers, visitors and workers:

• Essential retail such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, building merchants, off licences etc.
• Market stalls selling essential retail may also stay open
• Businesses providing repair services may also stay open where this is the primary service.
• Vehicle repair and MOT services
• Banks, post offices, short-term loan providers and money transfer businesses
• Funeral directors
• Laundrettes and dry cleaners
• Medical and dental services
• Vets and retailers of products and food for the upkeep and welfare of animals
• Animal rescue centres, boarding facilities and animal groomers – used for welfare purposes
• Places of worship

Businesses which are required to close include:  

• Non-essential retail such as clothing or homeware stores, however these can operate on a click and collect basis
• Close contact businesses such as beauty salons, hairdressers and barbers
• Hospitality venues including bars, pubs and restaurants can only operate for takeaways, but cannot provide takeaway alcohol
• Entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bowling alleys
• Indoor attractions and animal attractions
• Leisure facilities such as indoor gyms and sports facilities must remain closed and most outdoor facilities should remain closed too. Organised outdoor sport for disabled people may continue.

In the past the council has found that some shops have been ignoring or attempting to subvert the regulations.

The council will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to business owners that do not comply with the regulations and fines will be issues to businesses who refuse to follow them.

Further information on businesses permitted to open or must close can be found on the government webpages.

More information and detailed guidance on the national lockdown is available on the government’s coronavirus webpages.

Further guidance for retail businesses is available on the council’s Help for Business web pages.

Businesses can also email covid19businesscompliance@ealing.gov.uk  for further advice, guidance and bespoke support.

Residents who are  concerned a business in Ealing is ignoring the closure restrictions, can  notify us by emailing covid19businesscompliance@ealing.gov.uk.