Sunnyside Garden Centre in Ibstock has explained why it did not open its doors on Wednesday

New Government guidance says that garden centres can open to the public after closing down during the Coronavirus crisis.

But Sunnyside is in no rush to let the public back in - because the store's customers have said they are not ready to return yet.

The Leicester Road centre has been operating an online service in recent weeks.

And that has been successful to the extent that any attempt to allow people back inside will be handled carefully and safely.

They are more likely to open at the weekend - and even then, strict social distancing measures will be in place.

Sunnyside's manager Matt Hoare told Coalville Nub News: "We've been proving a non-contact delivery service and expanded that into North West Leicestershire for those who are still self-isolating.

"Now we have a click and collect service and speaking to some of our customers, the appetite for going out is actually pretty low.

"We'll be driven principally by what our customers want, more than what the Government permits us to do.

"We've spoken to a few of our customers and put a message out on our Facebook page that we feel, at the moment, that it's more important for our customers to stay safe.

"We don't want an onslaught of people.

"If you saw what happened at B&Q when it opened, you have to consider that.

"We can get flow organised, an in and out door and we've had signage printed. We've had the guidance from our trade body.

"But we're trying to gauge public opinion and it seems people are still very nervous about going out.

"We'll see what everyone else is doing and how things are running. It depends on how people view going to a garden centre.

"If people want to come and purchase things from us for their garden, we'll encourage it provided it's done safely. If people want to come and mooch around, that in itself is a difficult thing."

Matt says there will be a cautious opening at Sunnyside.

"The likelihood is that we will open at the weekend, but that depends on the impact of what happens this week, it's such a fluid situation," he added.

"At the moment, I know my staff are safe and my customer base is safe.

"We all need to act cautiously, we hear tales of carnage in some of the big supermarkets. We don't want that, we want nice and structured, nice and controlled.

"And our internet business gives us that. It's achieved great things for us.

"But everything is ready to open. We didn't open on Wednesday morning. The earliest we will open is at the weekend.

"But the moment we throw the doors open, the live stock we have goes out of the window and that's not fair on our internet customers. We don't want to turn our back on our more vulnerable customers - we have to be sensitive to that. There'll be no big announcement that, it's fine, we're open and people should come to us.

"What we've been doing works for us, we are desperate to see our customers of course. But social distancing has to be observed."