The teams running the O2’s stores in Eastleigh, Havant, Shirley, Southsea and Waterlooville are pleased to announce the re-opening of these outlets as of June 15, with the award-winning franchise taking every possible step to ensure the safety of the customers and staff.

Head of operations, Chris Tongue, is delighted to welcome back customers saying: “It’s safe to come and see us”, adding that customers are now able to take advantage O2’s innovative virtual queueing system which has been implemented to manage customer demands.

“It's more important than ever to keep customers connected,” said Chris. “With the use of the virtual queuing technology all customer will skip long standing queues and instead join a virtual system, receiving a text when an advisor is ready to assist them in a personal one on one appointment.

“NHS and Care Workers who show their ID badges will also be given VIP access to skip the queue to speak to an advisor in store.”

Daily Echo: Stay safe - social distancing measure in the O2 store, ShirleyStay safe - social distancing measure in the O2 store, Shirley

Chris and the teams in Eastleigh, Havant, Shirley, Southsea and Waterlooville, as well as those in Christchurch, Winton and Weymouth, have been meticulous in putting in place the necessary infrastructure ensure both customers and staff are kept safe, with 2 meter social distancing in place and sanitizing items are available to all customers when they walk in. The system has been checked by the O2 health and safety department and Chris is promising O2 customers a ‘pleasant environment’ when they come to visit.

Chris said: “We have been planning and preparing for the reopening of the shops with safety of the customer and staff uppermost in our minds, and all staff have been provided with PPE.

“From the first step you take on entering the shop to the point when you leave, we have thought through each and every one of those steps.

“There will be hand sanitiser at the entrance to each shop, and a marked one-way system like those we have seen work effectively in supermarkets to guide customers and ensure social distancing. Seating arrangement are set two meters apart, while staff will be wearing full clear plastic face shields.”

To celebrate the return of retail, O2 is welcoming customers back with a range of great deals, including six months free Disney+ subscriptions for new and upgrading customers. Customers can also enjoy a host of sim only deals, including 10GB for £10 on an 18-month contract, whilst data-hungry fans can get a massive 100GB of data for just £20 on a 12-month contract. Terms apply