Shop owners have spoken about the safety measures they're implementing when they reopen on Monday.

Situls Gifts located in Watford is one of many non-essential stores to soon open up for business again.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last month that non-essential stores would be able to open again from June 15 in an effort to ease lockdown restrictions.

Owner Ansu Shah has spoken about his plans for reopening. Mr Shah says he plans to take "each day as it comes" as he is still unsure about opening his doors.

Hillingdon Times:

Ansu Shah and his mother in their Watford shop. Credit: Situls Gifts

But says he will have signs and information about social distancing for customers, and removing furnishings to make more space.

He said: "The back section of our shop will be closed off to customers initially and limiting the number of customers coming into the store, our shop is not very big but a good size - about 1000 sq ft.

"Most of our products are in display cabinets, so customers cannot pick them up and handle them."

The Maltings

The shopping centre located in St Albans has also spoken about some of its measure it plans to introduce ahead of Monday.

These measures includes one-way systems, floor stickers to mark social distancing rules, hand sanitation stations and increased cleaning. Hand sanitisation will be placed in key areas around the centre such as lifts and car park pay machines.

Centre manager Phil Corrigan said: "We do not underestimate the importance of getting these measures right, managing the health and safety element of reopening the Maltings is our biggest priority right now. Our robust plans meet all requirements outlines in the government guidelines."

Hillingdon Times:

The Maltings centre manager Phil Corrigan. Credit: Danny Loo

The centre said staff and on-site security will also be on hand to check shoppers are adhering to social distancing guidelines.

He added: "We understand that people will be cautious about returning to any public locations, however with the measures that we have in place we are confident that we have created a safe shopping environment.

"We just ask that our visitors adhere to the new social distancing rules and we look forward to welcoming our shoppers back.

FineBack Furniture 

David Holloway - the owner of the furniture store located in London Colney - has also spoken about the safety measures he is implementing into his store. This includes hand sanitising, and making sure gloves and masks are available to all store visitors.

His staff will also be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and he has put markers on his floor to make sure there is a two metre distance.

Mr Holloway said he's still been able to cope throughout the pandemic and keep his business running because of his online shop. But admits the reopening of non-essential stores is a "big step forward".

He said: "I sell furniture particularly suited for people who have back problems and they physically want to try try out products to make sure they work.

"Fortunately, we have a website so I can sell products online but despite that some people still like to come in.

"It's a big step forward. Everybody wants to try and get back to a level of normality but it is different.

"People will have to work and shop in different ways and we will be on a learning curve as we go through this.

"For my store we don't have a huge amount of footfall meaning I don't constantly have queues of people, so there are no limitations to social distancing for my store."