Queen Elizabeth II's coffin is carried inside holyroodhouse
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Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and Morrisons are said to be finalising details to close their stores for around four hours as a mark of respect and to allow staff and customers to watch Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on TV. Reports are suggesting the supermarkets will be closed between 10am and 2pm. But smaller convinience stores will remain open.
According to The Sun, unnamed sources have said the big five supermarkets are finalising details – nothing official has been announced as of yet.
Marks and Spencer are also looking into the details of closing their stores.
It is believed M&S clothing branches won’t open at all on Monday, while the combined food and clothing stores will have scaled back operations and reduced hours.
John Lewis is keeping just 10 food shops along the funeral route open, but is shutting all of its 34 department stores and 321 Waitrose stores for the day.
Andrew Murphy, chief operating officer, The John Lewis Partnership said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“We will be closing our stores on the day of her funeral as a mark of respect, and because we believe this is the right thing to do for our Partners and customers.”
A spokesman for The British Retail Consortium said: “Retailers are taking their lead from Government and are choosing to mark the Queen’s passing in ways they deem appropriate for their staff and customers.”
The Government said in a statement: “Monday 19 September, the date of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral, will be a national bank holiday.
“This will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate Her reign, while marking the final day of the period of national mourning.
“This bank holiday will operate in the same way as other bank holidays, and there is no statutory entitlement to time off. Employers may include bank holidays as part of a worker’s leave entitlement.
“The bank holiday will take place across the United Kingdom.”
The London Stock Exchange is closing for the day, meaning no trading will be able to be carried out on the stock market.
As for pubs and restaurants, it is down to the individual business as to whether they shut their doors during the nation’s period of mourning.
However, it is expected that many will remain open so Brits can gather to remember the monarch.
Royal Mail has also announced it would suspend services on the day of the funeral as a mark of respect to the monarch in whose name it operates.
Simon Thompson, chief executive of Royal Mail, said the service would continue to play an “important role” in delivering messages of condolence to the Royal Family.
The relationship between the monarch and the British postal service has been in place for more than 500 years, since Henry VIII appointed the very first postmaster.
Royal Mail said the Queen continued this close relationship, taking a keen interest in Royal Mail and playing an active role in the selection and approval of stamps.
Monday has been an official bank holiday for Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral. The service will take place at Westminster Abbey, and a two minute silence will be held across the UK at noon.
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