Greggs closing all stores from Tuesday and will 'review' staff pay - statement in full

The decision comes just one day after McDonald's announced it is temporarily shutting all its branches over concerns around social distancing.

Unfortunately, many ignored guidance around avoiding gatherings of people and rushed to join a queue to get 'one last Maccies' on Monday afternoon including in Leeds.Another 46 people have died since Sunday and the message is clear: stay at home and do not leave unless it's absolutely essential.

Greggs said it would carry on paying staff 'with full contract hours' but stopped short of making an indefinite pledge, adding 'we will need to keep this under review as the situation develops'.

Greggs CEO Roger Whiteside said: "We’ve been doing everything we can to keep our shops open and everyone safe but it has become clear that to help us all maintain social distance we need to go further and close all of our shops completely. So, we have made the difficult decision to close all of our shops on Tuesday 24th March.

"First and foremost, thank you to our amazing colleagues for the hard work they have been putting in every day. They live and breathe the Greggs spirit, and we couldn’t have got through these challenging times without their unwavering positivity and cooperation. While we are closed, we will continue supporting our colleagues with full contract hours for as long as we are able although we will need to keep this under review as the situation develops.

"Whilst our shops will be temporarily closed, our dedication to our communities won’t stop. We’ll continue to provide support to our local communities by distributing any remaining unsold food and offering support for those in hardship through the Greggs Foundation.

"To our customers, thank you for your ongoing support – we know these are difficult and unsettling times, and through our community work we hope to be able to continue serving you, and your friends and families in some way.

"Last but by no means least, a special thank you to the key workers at the front line of this crisis and all those who continue to work tirelessly to reduce the spread of the virus.

"There are so many unsung heroes, and we’re in awe of you all."

"Stay safe and all the best."

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