UK trade association acts to clear up COVID confusion

The UK’s Angling Trades Association (ATA) has issued guidelines to tackle shops following some confusion around the Government’s latest COVID directions.

Shop owners in England, who were unsure about regulations governing trading during the latest lockdown, had been making requests for clarity. “There is total confusion,” said one well-known supplier who had been contacted by a number of retailers. “Shops want to know if they can open, or offer click and collect, and how they are affected by rules on essential travel.”

To clear up any misunderstandings, the ATA has been quick to craft a document that updates members via email and Facebook. It makes it clear that while tackle shops must close because they are classed as non-essential businesses, they can still operate a click/call and collect service.

Dealers are also advised to allocate arrival times to avoid customers accumulating outside the shop and to advise customers that only local travel is permitted. Shop owners may also want to restrict business to electronic payments in advance of collections to avoid handling cash, says the Association. The full document is available at here.

“The intent is that this trade information service will be stepped up over the coming weeks,” said ATA Chairman Andrew Race.