Following NABMA’s announcement about the concession we have secured for mobile phone repair shops to open further enquiries have been received about other repair services such as shoes and key cutting.
The wording of the email from government refers to “repair service businesses, such as mobile phone repair shops, are not required to close.”
This statement indicates that the key wording is focused on repair service businesses and that mobile phone repair shops are only one example of that particular category. In this context it seems a reasonable conclusion that other repair services such as shoes and key cutting can also open.
While offering this interpretation of the government’s position I must again emphasis the importance of working with local EHOs, Trading Standards and your legal officer.
We are all doing our best to interpret the current Regulations and Guidance but market operators must pay particular regard to the views of those they deal with at local level.