Kbsa Confirms New Government Guidelines
18Nov '20
The Kbsa has confirmed that government guidance, updated on 16 November now requires kitchen and bathroom showrooms in England to close.
Kbsa national chair Richard Hibbert said, “This is a change to the guidance which was issued on the 05 November. The new guidance provides a new list for retail stores which must close and this includes ‘showrooms open to the public for products used in homes, including bathrooms, kitchens and glazing’.
“It is regrettable that showrooms must close but it is welcome that the guidance is now very clear and we have a level playing field for all kitchen and bathroom retailers”.
“We have advised our members of this change and have also reassured them that we will continue our efforts to ensure that the level playing field is maintained. We are aware that some showrooms such as Wren and Magnet are still open and are continuing our dialogue with BEIS and Trading Standards to address this and protect our member’s interests”.
“This change only applies to showrooms in England. In Wales showrooms are currently open and in Scotland, where they have a five-tier system, showrooms in all tiers can also remain open”.
“Our support networks remain in place for members to discuss any issues and our HR and legal partners will continue their relevant updates and webinars to help members negotiate their way through this challenging period.”