Exclusive shops and luxury hotels in London including Claridge’s and The Ritz have been shut and boarded up in the closed-down capital’s West End amid the coronavirus lockdown.
High-end stores such as Dior and Givenchy have also been closed as the capital’s death toll surpasses 1,000.
It comes as stores adhere to social distancing rules and anticipate civil unrest, after looters smashed a Sainsbury’s shop front in south London during a nighttime raid last month.
London’s bustling streets have been left eerily deserted with restaurants and non-essential stores forced to close their doors for the foreseeable future, as Britons spend their Saturday at home in an effort to stem the spread of the infection.
The Ritz Hotel, alongside its restaurant and club on St James’ Street in Piccadilly, London, boarded up with shutters as it remains closed amid the coronavirus crisis. High-end stores and boutiques have been locked up, leaving the streets eerily quiet and deserted as the capital’s death toll soared by 161 people yesterday, surpassing a total of 1,000
Claridge’s, a 5* hotel at the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street in Mayfair, London, locked up as businesses adhere to social distancing rules. The hotel, visited by royals, movie stars, fashion designers and statesmen, ‘temporarily suspended operations’ on March 24, saying the safety and care of their staff and guests is ‘priority at all times’
Patek Philippe, a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer, closed down and boarded up by a Watches of Switzerland advertisement on Bond Street in Mayfair. During the lockdown, the brand has allowed its authorised dealers to sell watches online, despite customers only previously being able to purchase in store, in a move designed to support retailers
Bvlgari, founded in 1884 with a boarded-up store (above) located on New Bond Street, has also ‘temporarily closed’ amid the coronavirus lockdown. It follows looters smashing a Sainsbury’s shop front in south London in a nighttime raid last month
Dior, which has one of the biggest boutiques on Bond Street, locked-up with grey shutters and white blinds. The French fashion label said on Tuesday one of its workshops had started to produce face masks for workers in supermarkets
Pictures show designer shops and boutiques on Bond Street, Sloane Street and Knightsbridge covered with shutters as stores ‘temporarily close’ across the capital.
Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Patek Philippe has allowed its authorised dealers to sell watches online, despite customers only previously being able to purchase in store, in a move designed to support retailers.
Claridge’s, an esteemed 5* star hotel at the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street in Mayfair, announced it was ‘temporarily suspending operations’ on March 24.
Meanwhile Gucci, a luxury Italian fashion brand, said it was remaining ‘temporarily closed until further notice’ but taking orders online or over the phone, adding: ‘Our thoughts are with all of the people and communities affected at this difficult time.’
Dior stores have also closed, but the brand said on Tuesday one of its workshops had started to produce face masks for workers in supermarkets.
It follows London’s iconic Harrods temporarily shutting its doors to slow the spread of the outbreak at 7pm on March 20.
Retail giant Ikea as well as designer chains Michael Kors, Reiss and Abercrombie & Fitch have also shut.
Louis Vuitton on New Bond Street in Mayfair, London, which is also temporarily closed. It comes as a further 708 people have died from coronavirus in Britain, bringing the country’s fatalities to 4,313 in the deadliest day yet
Designer shops and boutiques in Bond Street, Sloane Street and Knightsbridge have been all locked up, with one arcade (pictured above) seen closed off by a gate to help stem the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in London
Cartier, a French luxury goods conglomerate, is seen with its front windows stripped bare as it is covered with shutters amid the coronavirus pandemic. The French jeweller is still accepting orders online, despite closing stores
Gucci, a luxury Italian fashion brand, said it was remaining ‘temporarily closed until further notice’ but taking orders online or over the phone, adding: ‘Our thoughts are with all of the people and communities affected at this difficult time’
Selfridges said it had closed ‘with a heavy heart’ in its effort to tackle the spiralling virus in London.
Swedish furniture chain Ikea also temporarily put up the shutters in all of its 22 stores in Britain to try to stop the infection spreading.
Harrods’ Managing Director Michael Ward previously said: ‘The welfare of our community of colleagues, customers and partners has been our absolute priority throughout this time of uncertainty.’
A spokesman for Harrods – which will keep open its Food Halls and pharmacy – said the store’s 5,000 staff would keep their jobs, adding: ‘Nobody is being laid off.’
But other department stores have been left reeling from the closures, with Debenhams possibly filing for administration as soon as next week in a bid to protect its business from creditors during the pandemic.
Debenhams’ lenders took control of the retailer in April last year in an effort to keep stores open. They have since shut due to the outbreak.
It is understood that KPMG have been placed on stand-by to take control of the process if necessary.
The company, which has been on British high streets for 242 years, put the vast majority of its 22,000 workforce on furlough last week after the government’s lockdown measures were introduced.
Ralph Lauren’s flagship store on New Bond Street closed amid the pandemic. On its website, the clothing brand states it is ‘temporarily closed’ with a ‘reopening-date to be confirmed’
Givenchy on Albemarle Street in Mayfair, central London, off Piccadilly. On its website, the brand states online orders will still be processed and complimentary express shipping offered’, adding: ‘Please be aware there are potential delays in delivery and returns and that the click and collect service is suspended until further notice’
The entrances are boarded up at the Debenhams store on Oxford Street during the London lockdown. The retailer will possibly file for administration as soon as next week in a bid to protect its business from creditors during the pandemic
The windows are boarded up at the Novikov restaurant in Berkeley Street, Mayfair. In a statement on its website, the restaurant said: ‘Unfortunately we have closed the doors until further notice’
Despite its stores shutting, the chain’s website is still running and remains operational.
London supermarkets have been left subject to ‘hostile and threatening’ behaviour from looters, with Met Police arresting four men after a gang tried to steal alcohol from the New Kent Road store in Elephant and Castle last month.
The appalling scenes came as Britain’s supermarkets face unprecedented pressure from customers stockpiling amid fears of self-isolation.
Retailers have stressed that there is plenty of food in the supply chain, but shoppers need to act responsibly to ensure everyone can get what they need – particularly the elderly and most vulnerable who may find regular shopping difficult.
Tesco Express limited purchases of a number of essential items such as milk, bread, eggs and toilet roll to one item per person.
Streets have been left deserted in the capital as Britons spend their Saturday at home. Some department stores have been left reeling from the closures, with Debenhams possibly filing for administration as soon as next week
Moncler, a luxury apparel brand known for its ski-wear, with its store on Old Bond Street (above) closed. The brand temporarily closed its Italian warehouses on March 25 in line with Italian government guidelines, saying customers can continue to place orders online and they will be delivered ‘as soon as’ warehouses re-open
Victoria’s Secret, an American designer for women’s lingerie, with its boutique on New Bond Street in Mayfair shown closed. The brand has ‘asked for understanding’ from online customers as it warns they ‘may experience delivery delays’
And Waitrose stores across the country also banned couple’s from shopping together as they implement a ‘one person per household’ policy.
All supermarkets are now making customers queue six feet apart from one another, in line with the Government’s social distancing policy.
A further 708 people have died from coronavirus in Britain, bringing the country’s fatalities to 4,313 in the deadliest day yet.
The number of new infections also rose by 3,735 to 41,903, which is the smallest 24-hour increase in cases in four days.
Michael Gove will confirm the grim figures at this afternoon’s Downing Street press briefing, as the government appeals to opposition parties for input into Whitehall’s coronavirus battle plan.