Our network of 750 UK shops and stores will begin reopening from mid-June, following our temporary closure due to Covid-19.

In March we made the decision to close our nationwide shops and stores in line with the Government’s advice on Covid-19. Now, following months of careful consideration and planning we are starting to reopen our retail estate to continue raising much needed funds for our vital research.

“Throughout the pandemic, our number one priority has been keeping our staff, volunteers and customers safe and this continues to be the case as we look to reopen,” says Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at the British Heart Foundation.

“From mid-June, we will reopen a small number of BHF shops, ensuring that all necessary precautions are in place such as social distancing measures, protective equipment for staff and volunteers and the safe collection and processing of donated items. Once these new ways of working are established, we will continue to reopen our 750 nationwide shops and stores over the following weeks.”

Our shops will also be welcoming donations from the public, who have been decluttering during this extended period of time at home. Allison adds: “Our shops are powered by the public’s support, which is why we never take for granted a book, dress or sofa donated to us. Once up and running, we will be hugely grateful for all donations, big or small, and would ask the public to keep hold of good quality items that could help fund our life saving research.”

“As part of the reopening we have made significant changes to how we operate, both in our shops but also our collection services, online operations and the ways we accept and collect donations. These new initiatives will continue to be reviewed as we go, in order to ensure we are doing everything possible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who work, volunteer and shop with us.

“We are hugely grateful for your patience and look forward to welcoming you back soon.” 

Questions about shopping with us

How will I know if my local shop is open?

We will be opening a small number of shops in mid-June, ensuring that all necessary precautions are in place. We will then continue to stagger the opening of our 750 shops and stores into July. The status of each shop, as well as our online operations, will be updated on our shop homepage.

Will opening hours be different?

Yes, we have slightly adjusted the opening hours for shops and stores to take into account the needs of our retail team, such as availability of public transport and other caring responsibilities. We are also using the time we are closed to carry out our enhanced cleaning programme to ensure we have a shop which is safe for our customers to visit and for our shop teams to work. Please review our revised opening hours - we encourage you to check them before you travel. 

Do BHF want my donated items?

Once back up and running, we will be hugely grateful for any donations big or small and would ask the public to donate their good quality items to help fund our life saving research. If possible, do ring ahead and let the shop or store know you are coming, so they can be ready to accept donations. We will have new donation points at shop entrances and you will also be able to donate smaller items via a new convenient postal service.

For larger donations to our home stores, please ring ahead so we know that you are coming and deliver any donated stock to the back of the store. Once reopen we will restart our home collection service for furniture, electrical and home items and will also collect clothes, books and other smaller items if you have five or more bags or boxes to donate. As collections resume, we will be offering a Covid-secure collection from your property. Our collection service can be booked online.

Can I leave items outside the shop if it’s closed?

Our shop openings will be staggered across the UK and therefore not all shops will be back up and running at the same time. If your local shop is closed we would ask that you hold onto items until we are open and have the staff available to receive them. Items left outside shops are at risk of being damaged or stolen or incurring fly-tipping fines.

Can I buy online and on your eBay shop?

Yes, our eBay store and online shop are now open with new safety measures in place.

How can I donate items while socially distancing?

For smaller donations such as clothes, books, toys and bric a brac we will set up contact free donation drop points located near the entrance of each shop. You can simply bring your good quality items - either bagged up or in a secure box - and place them in the drop point. Our shops teams will be monitoring the drop points and will then place donations in our sorting room for 48 hours before they are placed on the shop floor. We have also recently launched a postal donation service, providing easy to print labels on our website, that can then be attached to packaged items and donated at your local Collect+ point. 

As shops reopen, we will also be restarting our free collection service for larger items such as furniture. This will be Covid-secure and follow strict safety guidelines. We will also be able to collect clothes, books and other items if you have five or more bags or boxes to donate.

Can I book a home collection?

Yes, once our home stores have reopened, we will be happy to come and collect your items. In line with Government advice and as a temporary measure, we will be operating a Covid-secure service. Our drivers will wear masks and gloves and maintain a safe distance at all times while collecting items. We are continuously monitoring Government advice and therefore these precautions may change in the coming weeks. If your local BHF home store is closed, please keep checking our shops home page for the reopening date. 

How will social distancing be maintained in shops and stores?

Each of our 750 shops and stores has been assessed and given a maximum number of people who can safely be in each shop at any one time. This includes volunteers and staff. Shop teams will monitor these numbers throughout the day and ask people to wait outside if capacity is reached. Walkway guidance will also be provided in some shops and stores to encourage one way traffic throughout.

How will customers, staff and volunteers be protected?

In order to ensure the safety for everyone accessing our shops, we have introduced a number of measures including perspex screens at till points, limiting the number of people in each shop at any one time, enhanced cleaning schedules, social distancing on the shop floor and the resting of donated items for 48 hours before they are put on sale. We will also be making it easier for people to donate safely by placing donation points by the entrance of every shop. Customers will be encouraged to pay by card or contactless payment where possible. 

Can I still arrange a collection from my local shop for smaller items such as clothes and books?

While our normal collection service from local shops remains temporarily closed, our furniture and home stores will collect a minimum of five bags or boxes of clothes, books and other items from your home, following strict safety guidance. This can be arranged via our online booking form as stores reopen.

How will my donation help the BHF?

The coronavirus crisis has had a seismic impact on the BHF’s income and is currently costing us around £10 million a month. This is at a time we are dedicated to supporting the millions of people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases, who may be vulnerable to Covid-19.

Allison Swaine-Hughes adds: “We are working tirelessly to support people with questions about their health via our Helpline and online coronavirus hub and continue to fund our life saving research. But we need the support of the public more than ever to do so.”

 “It’s vitally important that we can support people at a time when many will be worried about their health. We’d urge all of our supporters who might have concerns to visit our website for more information, and to continue to support our work to improve the lives of people across the UK.”

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