Matalan's Northampton store is open again .. but looks very different to the last time you shopped there

Matalan is reopening its Northampton store with a very different shopping experience.

The 'new normal' has resulted in staff wearing PPE masks while changing rooms are out of bounds.

Queues for the tills are strictly controlled with social-distancing measures and protective screens at the counters separating customers and staff.

Government guidance now lists homeware retailers as essential retailers, allowing Matalan to unlock 38 stores — including the Sixfields site — ahead of a planned reopening of other fashion shops on June 15.

Matalan is primarily known a fashion retailer but also carries a range of homeware allowing it to reopen under the latest guidance. The Northampton store is open from 9am to 8pm weekdays, 9am to 7pm on Saturdays and 10.30 am to 4pm on Sundays.

A Matalan statement said: “Following the successful re-opening of a select group of stores last week, we have now reopened 38 of our stores across England, as part of our phased re-opening programme.

“In line with the latest guidance, all the stores that we have re-opened are spacious stores with large homeware departments and a click-and-collect service. These stores are all located on out of town retail parks, with parking outside, enabling us to effectively adhere to social distancing guidelines.

"Our priority is to protect both our colleagues and our customers’ safety in every store and we have received very positive comments from both colleagues and customers on the new safety measures in place in each store.

“Our new enhanced health and safety measures will ensure that every open Matalan store will be fully compliant with social distancing rules, with employees trained appropriately and provided with full PPE.

"We are confident that these safety measures go above and beyond the guidance provided by the Government and Public Health England."

Matalan's Sixfields store was closed when the Covid-19 lockdown started on March 23 and the majority of staff placed on furlough.

But the fashion and homeware chain, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, could potentially reopen 168 of its 232 UK stores based on the Government's latest guidance around homeware retailers.

Matalan's other stores in Northamptonshire at Wellingborough and Corby both remain closed for the foreseeable future.