The supermarkets, shops and attractions which are all closing on Monday, September 19 for the Queen's State Funeral

Supermarkets, high street retailers and some top UK attractions have all announced they will close on Monday for the Queen's funeral.

With a bank holiday already declared for Monday, September 19 a growing number of companies in south Warwickhire are now telling shoppers, employees and visitors that the doors will remain shut for the day.

Sainsbury's, Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, M&S and Waitrose have all confirmed plans to close their supermarkets or food halls on Monday, with just some minor changes in place for smaller convenience stores or petrol stations.

Online grocery deliveries will also be paused to further allow staff to pay their own respects to England's longest serving monarch.

Sainsbury’s said while it will shut its main supermarkets on the day of the funeral it does plan to keep convenience shops and petrol filling stations open during the evening.

A spokesman explained: "Our convenience stores and petrol filling stations will be open from 5pm-10pm to allow our customers to pick up essential items, while select stores in central London will open to serve those attending the funeral in person. We thank our customers for their understanding."

The John Lewis Partnership, which is responsible for Waitrose supermarkets, said a small number of smaller Waitrose stores in London could remain open to help serve the crowds in the capital requiring food and drink, but these too would close during the funeral itself, because as a company it wished to pay its respects.

Andrew Murphy, chief operating officer of 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."

Tesco will close its supermarkets on Monday - with Express stores only opening at 5pm before then closing at their normal time. Online orders are also being cancelled - with staff contacting those customers who already have a pre-booked slot to help them make alternative arrangements.

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK CEO said: "We want to express our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, as well as our gratitude to Her Majesty The Queen for her unwavering service. On Monday 19 September, in order for our colleagues to pay their respects, our large stores will be closed all day and our Express stores will remain closed until 5pm."

On Instagram, Lidl said: “In honour of Her Majesty and to allow our colleagues to pay their respects, we will be closing all of our stores across England, Scotland and Wales on the day of the funeral.

"Thank you to everyone for your understanding."

M&S, while shutting the majority of its food halls does intend to keep some open close to Westminster Abbey for those queuing to pay their respects to the Queen but that these too will be closed during the funeral itself.

Asda said it will shut all its stores on Monday until 5pm to allow employees and customers to watch the funeral and pay their respects and no online deliveries will be carried out on Monday either.

A spokesman added: "All our stores will close by midnight on Sunday September 18 and reopen at 5pm on Monday September 19."

Morrisons and Iceland are among those yet to confirm their plans.

On the high street

Primark will shut all of its 191 stores on Monday, reopening as normal on Tuesday.

A Primark spokeswoman said: “Our stores, depots and head office in the UK will be closed on Monday, September 19 to give our colleagues the opportunity to pay their respects and watch the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

McDonalds is closing all of its UK restaurants from midnight Sunday until 5pm on Monday evening to enable staff to pay their respects. The fast food chain said after 5pm opening hours may vary.

Alongside closing Waitrose supermarkets, with the exception of some short-term opening hours for convenience stores in London, the John Lewis Partnership will also not open its John Lewis department stores on Monday.

Argos, owned and run by parent company Sainsbury's is closing its branches on Monday and also pausing its Argos Fast Track delivery service for the day, while M&S alongside foodhalls, will also close all of its larger shops selling clothing and homewear on Monday and deliveries will stop.

Poundland said all its 770 UK stores will close for the whole day, and any staff that had been due to work on September 19 will still receive full pay.

The company said: "We know how important it will be that colleagues have the opportunity to pay their respects next Monday, as the country comes together to honour and celebrate the life of the Queen."

DIY chain B&Q said it too intended to close on Monday for the Queen's funeral and all delivery services would also be temporarily suspended.
A spokesperson said: "As a mark of respect for the state funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and to offer our colleagues the opportunity to pay their respects, we have taken the decision to close all our UK stores on Monday. Our click and collect and home delivery services will also be temporarily suspended on the day."

WH Smith's high street stores will also close and the company is expected to alter the opening arrangements of its travel stores found in places like airports, train stations and motorway service stations.

Vehicle repairs and mechanics

Vehicle repairs at Kwik Fit centres will also be stopped after the chain confirmed that all centres would shut on Monday as the nation marks the Queen's passing, and it will reopen as normal the following day.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: "Following the declaration of a bank holiday to mark the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Kwik Fit centres will be closed on Monday.

"While we usually remain open on most bank holidays, these are unique circumstances. We are closing to enable all our colleagues to join their family and friends in paying their final respects as Her Majesty is laid to rest. We understand that many customers will be doing the same and hope that this decision does not cause inconvenience.

In a message on its website Halfords said too was closing all stores, garages and support centres on Monday, September 19. Its Mobile Experts would also not be operating on Monday, said the company, but that everything would open and run as normal the following day.

Post

Royal Mail has already confirmed it is suspending services on the day of the funeral with Monday now being a bank holiday. But the situation remains a little more unclear at the Post Office, where some branches are run independently.

The 114 branches the Post Office owns directly are expected to all shut on Monday but it will be down to individual postmasters in other branches, which are often inside smaller shops and convenience stores, to decide on their opening hours or whether they offer any services on Monday.

Places to visit

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has said its properties will be closed, and the RSC will not have any performances on Monday.

Further afield, Chessington World of Adventures is among the major attractions that will also close on Monday as a mark of respect.

The theme park, which offers day trips and short breaks said its staff would be making contact with anyone already booked to visit so that alternative arrangements could be made.

Legoland in Windsor is also closing on the day of the funeral, while its on-site hotels will also be shut in advance on Sunday, September 18 as the resort prepares to close down until after the Queen's funeral has taken place.

Thorpe Park, which is also owned and run by the same company as both Chessington and Legoland, says it too won't open on Monday and its on-site Thorpe Shark Cabins will also remain shut on the Sunday too.

The London Eye says to allow guests and staff to pay their respects during 'this period of national mourning' it will close on the day of the funeral. The central London attraction says it is also playing close attention to events in the capital this week and so some changes are also being made to show respect and sensitivity to the national state of mourning.

While theatres in the West End have remained open since the Queen's death there are some closures now being announced for performances on Monday afternoon and evening because of the Queen's funeral, with advice for those with tickets to now check before making their journey to the capital.

The National Trust says its properties, including cafes and shops will close on Monday but that coastal and countryside car parks will remain open for visitors to use.