Woodie's say their stores across the country opened at 7.30am today, 90 minutes earlier than scheduled.

Phase One of Ireland's reopening strategy began this morning (18 May), and one of the key restrictions that has lifted applies to hardware shops and garden centres. Several of Woodie's 35 stores across Ireland saw major queues from as early as 7am on Monday, and the DIY, home and garden chain decided to open their doors half an hour later, 90 minutes before their scheduled opening time of 9am. The decision was taken in order to "reduce customer waiting time, alleviate the build-up of queues and to facilitate a smoother flow of customers into the store". In a statement issued this morning, Woodie's noted that they had spent in excess of €500,000 on Covid-19 safety measures in preparation for their re-opening. These measures include Perspex screens at all checkouts, as well as face-shields and masks. Customers are also required to wash their hands upon entry into the store, regardless of whether they are wearing gloves. Speaking today, Woodie's CEO Declan Ronayne said: "It feels like the right time to re-open and we are delighted to do so. Having spent much of the lockdown further enhancing our social distancing and hygiene measures we are pleased to re-open our stores and to do so with confidence for the safety of our customers and colleagues. "It has been a difficult period for everyone and we believe DIY and gardening has an important role to play in the mental health for most of us who remain largely confined to our homes and gardens. Our stocks are more than sufficient to meet ongoing demand so there is no reason to rush to your local store or to bulk buy."