DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has reminded businesses reopening tomorrow about its guidelines for on-street queueing outside shops, telling retailers to avoid special promotions that generate “unsustainable queueing”.

Level 5 restrictions will come to an end across the country tomorrow, allowing non-essential retailers and businesses to reopen their doors.

Level 3 restrictions will take effect after midnight tonight with some additional measures in place, like a continued ban on household visits until later next month.

In advance of this, the council has reminded businesses in Dublin city about the guidelines for on-street queueing. 

In general, shoppers are asked to queue on the inside of the footpath immediately outside the premises. The queue should not extend beyond the front of the shop. 

If too many people are trying to enter a business, there is a need to queue on the public pavement in order to maintain social distancing in-store.

The council said shops should consider extending their opening hours to cater for demand and minimise the need for on-street queueing. 

It also said that “care should be taken to avoid special promotions that generate unsustainable queueing”. 

The council says it will place queueing icons on the ground in the main pedestrianised streets and on O’Connell street in the city centre.

Retailers should ensure appropriate social distancing is being observed by people queueing outdoors.

Retailers can also mark the footpaths with removable stickers to show the spacing and direction for the queue. 

Shops should try to ensure footpaths aren’t being fully blocked to allow pedestrians, especially people with visual or mobility impairments, to pass through.

If there isn’t enough space on the pavement to accommodate more people queueing, the shop must “take measures” to prevent more people joining the queue.  

After six weeks of closure some retailers are seeking to make up for lost time, with Penneys announcing it will keep two stores open for a 24-hour period from tomorrow into Wednesday.