Non-essential shops were left stricken last night in the city - population 330,000 - after they were told not to reopen their doors this morning. Many of them had already taken people off the government's furlough scheme when non-essential shops were allowed to return from June 15. That prompted fears for their future because the cut-off date had already passed for new entrants to join the furlough scheme. But today Downing Street confirmed any firm that used the furlough scheme between March 1 and June 30 can now 're-furlough' workers from July 1. Under the drastic measures announced last night, non-essential shops in Leicester which opened on June 15 must shut from today onwards.

Source: Daily Mirror June 30, 2020 12:15 UTC