B&Q has decided to reopen 14 stores across the UK - including the Gillingham branch.

Bosses at the DIY retailer say they have "watched other essential retailers support social distancing" and are confident B&Q can follow suit.

Gillingham is the only Kent store to have reopened. Its opening hours are from 8am until 5pm.

Just like supermarkets, customers will queue up two metres apart outside the store.

Services such as bathroom and kitchen design, timber cutting and paint mixing are not available.

A spokesman for the firm said: "As an essential retailer, we’ve watched other essential retailers support social distancing in their stores and are now in a position to follow best practice and reopen a small number of our stores as a trial, while keeping our colleagues and customers safe.

"We’re strictly limiting the number of customers in store at any one time, and so customers may need to queue before entering the store.

"To help remind everyone to respect each other’s personal space, we have two metre floor markers throughout these stores and also perspex screens at the checkouts.

"We’re urging all customers to follow the government’s social distancing guidelines and to shop responsibly only for what is necessary."

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