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Covid-19 circuit breaker measures: Takashimaya, Ikea to keep open only essential services
Retailers such as furniture giant Ikea and Takashimaya Department Store will be closing for a month from Tuesday, but keeping their essential services open.
This is in compliance with the new "circuit breaker" measures announced on Friday, which requires temporary closure of non-essential businesses.
As for telcos Singtel, M1 and StarHub - which provide essential services - The Sunday Times understands their stores will stay open.
On its website and social media pages, Takashimaya Department Store said yesterday that it will close from Tuesday to May 4.
Its Cold Storage supermarket on Basement 2 and Presto Drycleaners on Level 4 will remain open.
Ikea's popular restaurant, bistro and Swedish food market will remain open for takeaways only, said Ms Corinna Schuler, Ikea South-east Asia's head of corporate communications.
For the next few days, Ikea will operate with strict social distancing measures, she adds, and limit the number of people at its stores in Alexandra and Tampines.
Ms Schuler said: "We are prepared for bad times but it is a huge burden to be closed. We have a duty to do our very best to protect our co-workers' salaries and jobs.
"Most of the people in our team will keep working from home by taking up training or learning assignments through our online resources, developing our processes and tools, working on pricing or any number of other jobs we have to meet the current challenges and plan for our reopening in May."
Japanese lifestyle brand Muji said that it will shut all its stores including its Cafe&Meal Muji section that serves food, from April 7 to May 4.
Consumers whom The Sunday Times spoke to are prepared for the pending closure of retailers.
For housewife Diane Lee, 42, it is more important to her that wet markets, supermarkets and hawker centres remain open.
She said: "My children were looking forward to going to Ikea soon for a meal and some shopping."
Accountant Charmaine Lim, 34, said: "We aren't supposed to be out anyway and it is important that the retail staff stay safe and healthy as well. We can shop online if necessary, or just save the money."
Covid-19 circuit breaker measures: Takashimaya, Ikea to keep open only essential services
Retailers such as furniture giant Ikea and Takashimaya Department Store will be closing for a month from Tuesday, but keeping their essential services open.
This is in compliance with the new "circuit breaker" measures announced on Friday, which requires temporary closure of non-essential businesses.
As for telcos Singtel, M1 and StarHub - which provide essential services - The Sunday Times understands their stores will stay open.
On its website and social media pages, Takashimaya Department Store said yesterday that it will close from Tuesday to May 4.
Its Cold Storage supermarket on Basement 2 and Presto Drycleaners on Level 4 will remain open.
Ikea's popular restaurant, bistro and Swedish food market will remain open for takeaways only, said Ms Corinna Schuler, Ikea South-east Asia's head of corporate communications.
For the next few days, Ikea will operate with strict social distancing measures, she adds, and limit the number of people at its stores in Alexandra and Tampines.
Ms Schuler said: "We are prepared for bad times but it is a huge burden to be closed. We have a duty to do our very best to protect our co-workers' salaries and jobs.
"Most of the people in our team will keep working from home by taking up training or learning assignments through our online resources, developing our processes and tools, working on pricing or any number of other jobs we have to meet the current challenges and plan for our reopening in May."
Japanese lifestyle brand Muji said that it will shut all its stores including its Cafe&Meal Muji section that serves food, from April 7 to May 4.
Consumers whom The Sunday Times spoke to are prepared for the pending closure of retailers.
For housewife Diane Lee, 42, it is more important to her that wet markets, supermarkets and hawker centres remain open.
She said: "My children were looking forward to going to Ikea soon for a meal and some shopping."
Accountant Charmaine Lim, 34, said: "We aren't supposed to be out anyway and it is important that the retail staff stay safe and healthy as well. We can shop online if necessary, or just save the money."
