// Fitting rooms in England can reopen from next week but not all stores will be doing so
// Fitting rooms have been shut for over a year
// John Lewis, H&M and River Island will be reopening at least some of their fitting rooms
As non-essential retailers in England prepare to reopen from April 12, not all stores feel able to meet new guidelines.
Shoppers in England will be able to try on jeans, bras, suits and other items of clothing in fitting rooms from Monday after being shut for over a year.
John Lewis, H&M and River Island will be reopening at least some of their fitting rooms, as part of the next stage in the loosening of government restrictions.
READ MORE: Fitting rooms allowed to reopen when retailers exit lockdown April 12
Next said it was undecided whether to reopen its fitting rooms while both Marks & Spencer and Primark have both said they will not do so next week.
M&S said that shoppers would be able to book appointments for “no contact” bra fitting in stores, where a member of staff will advise customers on how to measure themselves.
John Lewis department stores boss Pippa Wicks said it would be restarting children’s shoe fitting, personal styling and home design appointments and collection of online orders from stores.
Government guidance said rooms should be cleaned between each use and suggested clothing that had been tried on should be steamed or put aside for several days to ensure germs were not passed on.
Only a few retailers, including department store Selfridges, operated their changing rooms last year, because of the guidance and high costs of quarantining or sanitising clothing and fitting rooms.
Guidance has now been changed so that retailers can operate fitting rooms if they minimise transmission of the virus.
The government stipulates that only one person at a time should be allowed in fitting rooms, with staff in place to manage social distancing and queues.
The guidance also says a gap of several minutes should be allowed between one customer exiting and the next entering.
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