- AFP
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|
Where the Blitz failed, coronavirus has
succeeded.
The luxury London store Harrods, which stayed open throughout the bombing
of the capital during World War II, announced on Friday it was closing its
doors.
It will keep open its Food Halls and pharmacy, but the rest of the iconic
department store in Knightsbridge will shut.
“The welfare of our community of colleagues, customers and partners has
been our absolute priority throughout this time of uncertainty,” managing
director Michael Ward said in a statement.
“With this in mind, we have made the very difficult decision to close our
doors from 7pm (1900 GMT), Friday 20th March.”
He added: “Harrods has gone through many challenges during its 170-year
history.
“We continued to trade and serve our customers during World War II, and
only closed for a short period of time after the car bomb attack of the 1980s.”
Three police officers and three members of the public were killed in the
1983 attack by members of the Irish Republic Army (IRA).
The British government earlier this week advised its citizens to avoid any
non-essential social contact or travel, particularly in London, the epicentre
of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.
A spokeswoman for Harrods told AFP that the store’s 5,000 staff would keep
their jobs despite the closure, saying: “Nobody is being laid off.”
Ward added: “Harrods is a symbol of resilience in a changing and often
uncertain world, and I know that our values will ensure that we as a business
come through this next chapter.”
Another leading department store, Selfridges, closed its doors on Wednesday.(AFP)
Photo credit: FashionUnited
