ALL non-essential shops can reopen on Monday if they can comply with social distancing rules.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma confirmed the news at the Downing Street press conference today (Tuesday).

All retail outlets have been required to be closed on March 23 when the coronavirus outbreak began.

He confirmed shops will open their doors again from Monday, June 15, as long as they comply with the Covid-secure guidelines.

He added:"This is the latest step in the careful restarting of our economy and will enable high streets up and down the country to spring back to life."

Enforcement notices can be issued if shops reopen without following the guidance, he added.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said pubs, bars, restaurants and hairdressers will not be able to reopen until July 4 "at the earliest".

Alok Sharma said the Government is keeping the two-metre social distancing rule under review.

"When it is safe to do so, we will see whether you can move to a shorter distance but ultimately we keep all of these things under review," he told the No 10 briefing.

"There are other countries in the world that have moved from two metres to closer distances. Of course, they are further along in terms of their road map, in terms of opening up businesses.

"We are taking a cautious view on this. I completely understand why for economic reasons businesses will want to have a look at this two-metre rule."

Health and Safety Executive chief executive Sarah Albon said reducing the number of infections as well as the rate of transmission is key to altering the two-metre rule.

She said: "It requires a view both of the chance of the infection being passed on but also the prevalence in society, because that mix of how many people in the population have got this illness combined with what's a safe distance gives you the probability of something being passed on."