Food-on-the-go giant Greggs has announced that it is to shut all of its shops.
The Newcastle-based firm, which has more than 2,000 shops around the country, had hoped it would be able to remain open with conditions imposed last week to go to takeaway-only and only accept contactless payment.
But the company has said the increased need for social distancing has convinced it of the need to close completely.
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A statement confirming the closure included a note of thanks to its staff and customers, and also to the key workers it said were “at the front line of this crisis.”
Greggs said: “We’ve been doing everything we can to keep our shops open and everyone safe but it has become clear that to help us all maintain social distance we need to go further and close all of our shops completely.
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“So, we have made the difficult decision to close all of our shops on Tuesday 24th March.
“First and foremost, thank you to our amazing colleagues for the hard work they have been putting in every day. They live and breathe the Greggs spirit, and we couldn’t have got through these challenging times without their unwavering positivity and cooperation.
“While we are closed, we will continue supporting our colleagues with full contract hours for as long as we are able although we will need to keep this under review as the situation develops.
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“Whilst our shops will be temporarily closed, our dedication to our communities won’t stop. We’ll continue to provide support to our local communities by distributing any remaining unsold food and offering support for those in hardship through the Greggs Foundation.
“To our customers, thank you for your ongoing support – we know these are difficult and unsettling times, and through our community work we hope to be able to continue serving you, and your friends and families in some way.
“Last but by no means least, a special thank you to the key workers at the front line of this crisis and all those who continue to work tirelessly to reduce the spread of the virus.
“There are so many unsung heroes, and we’re in awe of you all.”
Greggs said it would be using the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to keep as many of its 25,000 staff on full pay for as long as possible.
It said it had seen sharp declines in business, starting at its sites in transport hubs and in London, but then elsewhere around the country. Last week had seen sales fall by almost 10%, it said.
The company said that it was likely to pause all future openings and refurbishments that weren't already in train, and it would not now be paying a dividend to shareholders.
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But it said it had a strong balance sheet and chief executive Roger Whiteside said: “We should be confident of its ability to navigate this event and return to growth when the economy recovers.”
Greggs follows McDonalds, Costa and Nando's in closing its sites.