Chichester shop owners share their opinions on mandatory mask-wearing

The new rules will be in place from Friday, July 24, following an announcement from the government on Monday (July, 13).

Kay Mawer, who owns Clothkits in The Hornet said: "It's stupid if shoppers have to wear them, but staff do not. I must say, in terms of working comfort, to wear one all day long — they are not comfortable and that could be quite unpleasant.

"We have decided to order the clear visors otherwise it would make communication very difficult and it's not a welcoming atmosphere. [With clear visors] we can protect customers and be protected.

"We had been sitting on the fence about reopening. At the beginning we thought that everyone was going to have to be furloughed but suddenly it was quite busy.

"Because the information keeps changing, I want to see how it is all working. At the moment we have been kind of trying to encourage people to click and collect because that is the safest way."

Lin Boakes, owner of Kim's Bookshop in South Street, Chichester and another site in High Street, Arundel said: "I don't have a problem with it. When it is mandatory it is very difficult because are we supposed to say 'you can't come in'?

"It's not really nice when you feel like you have to be bossy.

"We can't afford to turn away customers. It has been extremely difficult.

"I do think it is a good idea and it will give a lot of my customers, especially older ones, more confidence to come out."