BMF confirms merchants can remain open in second lockdown

Builders and plumbers merchants are essential to the wellbeing of the economy and, as such, can remain open during lockdowns, the Construction Leadership Council has confirmed.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of another national lockdown starting this Thursday (November 5), and an emergency meeting of the Construction Leadership Council, the BMF has issued a letter from the CLC confirming the importance of the building materials supply industry remaining open to support builders and contractors and help keep the economy going, for now and for the future recovery.

The letter confirms that the Prime Minister has explicitly said that construction and manufacturing should continue. The latest Government guidance has reiterated this, and that workers in these industries should continue to travel to work and attend their workplace, including where this involves working in other people’s homes.

It says: “We all understand the need to keep providing and maintaining the houses, hospitals, electricity, water and all the other vital infrastructure that people depend on, and we all understand the need to keep construction workers employed and keeping the economy going, for now and for the future recovery.”

To ensure the construction industry operates safely the CLC has developed a range of guidance relating to social distancing, use of PPE and face coverings, the safe operation of site canteens, the safe operation of builders merchants, the use of public and private transport to work, and the use of
temporary accommodation for workers, amongst other important matters, all of which are covered in the following and are available on the CLC
website.

The full letter can be downloaded HERE