19 October 2020

Car retailers in Wales have been ordered to close for 17 days from 6pm on Friday evening (23 October), however, servicing operations can still remain open.

Mark Drakeford

Following the announcement of the ‘firebreak’ national lockdown for Wales, the Welsh government issued a statement that read: “All leisure and non-essential retail will be closed. This includes clothes shops, furniture shops and car dealerships among many others. A full list of types of business required to close will be available in our guidance on business closures.”

The guidance for business closures has yet to be updated to clarify which parts of auto retail businesses can remain open, however, the statement’s frequently asked questions sections adds: “Can I still have repair and maintenance work done on my vehicle? Yes, if this is necessary and cannot reasonably be deferred until after the lockdown period. Routine services should be deferred.”

On MOTs it adds: “My MOT is due during this lockdown period – do I still have to get it done? Yes, you will still need a valid MOT certificate if you need to use your vehicle for essential travel. If your MOT is not due during this lockdown period but you have an appointment booked, please consider deferring.”

The NFDA’s Sue Robinson said the organisation was seeking guidance around online purchases and car deliveries as well as click and collect.

Tags: Covid-19, lockdown, Wales