NEWS SPECIAL
COVID-19 UPDATE FOR ALL THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
RETAIL GRANTS SCHEME OPENS
M&S DELIVERS Marks & Spencer has launched its first ever home delivery service, just ahead of its partnership with Ocado. Some 142 outlets will be offering a limited range of around 130 food and household items through Deliveroo. Deliveries will take 30 minutes and there is a £4.99 charge.
BEST-ONE FOOD BOXES
APPLICATIONS FOR RETAIL GRANTS THROUGH THE EXTENDED RETAIL, HOSPITALITY & LEISURE GRANTS SCHEME ARE NOW OPEN.
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Best-one has launched a foodbox campaign to help stores to stock the products they need if they want to start providing food parcels to the vulnerable and those staying at home. Retailers can buy products from Best-one’s recommended core list, advertise the
inance Secretary Kate Forbes MSP confirmed in Parliament yesterday that the extension to the Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grants Scheme is now in effect. This means that retailers can apply for grants for any second and subsequent shop premises they have. David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “These grants provide urgently needed support for retailers operating who are trying to weather the current crisis, particularly those deemed non-
DAVID LONSDALE, DIRECTOR OF THE SCOTTISH RETAIL CONSORTIUM
essential and currently in hibernation. “With this extension now open it’s vital that local authorities swiftly process grant applications to allow retailers access to the cash they need to keep afloat and aid high streets across Scotland, which have been left reeling by coronavirus.”
service they can offer to their community and then deliver the package to those in need for a fixed price.
CO-OP MASKS Central England Co-op has provided face visors for all 7,200 permanent and temporary staff across its food stores and petrol stations. The visors are not compulsory and the decision on wearing one is down to the individual colleague.
10 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / WEDNESDAY 6TH MAY 2020 / ISSUE 3
THE SUN PLANS FREE BIG THANK YOU GIGS FOR RETAILERS Registration has opened for the Big Thank You Tour, a musical extravaganza being organised by The Sun and Virgin Radio to acknowledge the efforts of key workers, including local retailers, during the coronavirus outbreak. The tour will see arena shows in Glasgow, London and Manchester later this year and tickets are free to retailers. Anyone classified as a key worker can apply for a pair of tickets and 35,000 are
available. The tour hits Glasgow on 1 November and will feature a roster of chart-topping talent. The London leg will also include The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards. Registration closes at end of June, when a ballot will randomly select the gig-goers. All attendees must be aged 14 or over, and under-18s must be accompanied by an adult.
