Both Arnotts and Brown Thomas are set to reopen next month, revealing that a number of added measures will be enforced to ensure the safety of staff and customers alike.
Retail giants Arnotts and Brown Thomas will reopen next month, however, it won't be simply business as usual as there will be a number of new health and safety measures introduced to ensure that social distancing is adhered to.
As is the case with several supermarkets and grocery shops around the country, both shops will introduce a queueing system for walk-in customers that will make for a safer shopping experience. According to Donald McDonald, managing director of both stores, customers will also be able to pre-book shopping slots online via an app.
Footfall within the shop will be strictly controlled with Brown Thomas only allowing a maximum of 450 customers inside their Grafton Street store, while Arnotts on Henry Street will allow for 1,100 customers at any one time.
Fitting rooms will also be reopened but will be closely monitored with garments being sanitised and quarantined after being handled by customers. Make-up counters and displays within the store will also be drastically different to what customers were used to - staff will no longer interact with customers at counters and self-service tester brushes will be replaced with digital screens that will allow buyers to "try on" products prior to purchasing.
Speaking to the
Irish Times, Mr McDonald said:
"We want to reduce interactions but we also want to focus on the customer experience and do it better than anyone else."
Bathrooms and restaurants will initially remain closed, however, they will later reopen for table service in line with the reopening of other food outlets.
With both Arnotts and Brown Thomas preparing to reopen on June 29th, the same measures will be introduced at other high street branches around the country in Cork, Galway and Limerick as well.
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