North to shut down almost completely for queen’s funeral on Monday

Northern Ireland will grind to a virtual standstill on Monday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, with traders expecting a big rush over the weekend as supermarkets and shops prepare to shutter.

The unexpected bank holiday — approved by the queen’s successor King Charles III — will see schools and universities closed, hospitals working at reduced capacity, GPs and pharmacies shut, bin collections cancelled and even burials postponed.

Big retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Asda and Lidl have announced that they will not open on the day, although some smaller convenience-style stores may open at 5pm after the funeral concludes in London.

Public transport operator Translink will run a “Saturday timetable”, although schoolbuses will not operate due to schools being granted “an exceptional closure day”.

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It is expected that most, if not all, Catholic schools — as well as state-run schools — will also close for the day. This could not be confirmed by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, which said it was suspending press announcements “in line with current government guidelines”.

Libraries will shut and most court hearings and tribunals will not go ahead. Plans have been drawn up for emergency court sittings “if required”.

The North’s eight local councils vary on their approach to the day of mourning, with many stopping bin collections, closing recycling centres and leisure centres and council-owned attractions including parks.

The Mid Ulster District Council is shutting the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy, Co Derry, while Belfast City Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council have said there will be no burials allowed in their cemeteries.

Royal Mail is suspending postal services, while anyone scheduled to take a driving test at a Driver & Vehicle Agency centre is to be contacted about an alternative date.

While there is no statutory obligation for traders to close, Glyn Roberts of Retail NI, which represents smaller retailers, said there “could well be a bit of a rush” over the weekend as people stock up on staples such as bread, milk and other groceries in advance of the one-day shutdown.

“I think the vast majority of retail businesses will probably close on Monday,” he said. “We may see some small neighbourhood stores open for a limited time. This is not just about following guidance, but retailers want to ensure they are in line with the spirit of the day — it is a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

While he was aware of “one or two” cases where shops were planning to stay open, Mr Roberts said it was “not widespread” but that “it was ultimately a matter for each individual retailer to make that call”.

“I think it is fair to say, whether you support the monarchy or royal family or not, there is huge respect for the queen, as was very clear with the cross-party representation at the service in her honour at St Anne’s Cathedral during the week,” he added.

SDLP Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole — who is giving his staff a bank holiday — said he did not think any trader “should be judged” if they choose to open.

“The truth is people will feel differently in different places, and approach the day differently,” he said.

“It should be possible to be respectful for those who choose to close their business or postpone an event and by the same token, if a shop or cafe chooses to remain open, then that is equally valid in the spirit of mutual respect and tolerance.”

Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster, which represents pubs, restaurants and coffee shops in the region, said there was “no hard rule” on which of them would open or close, as the government advice was that it is discretionary.

“Across the trade it is a mixed bag,” he said. “Some will close all day, some will close for the funeral, some will not close at all. Some may stay open so that people will gather to watch the funeral on TV. There is no consensus, individual businesses will do what’s appropriate for their staff.”

Mr Neill said he did not expect anyone to take offence over individual decisions as people from across the political spectrum have been “very gracious in their approach to the queen, if you like, rather than the monarchy”.

“That has sent a real signal, I think, that has diffused a lot, which is really positive because the little place is a bit complex.”

Hundreds of air passengers in Ireland will face disruption on the day as a result of Aer Lingus’s decision to ground eight flights on Monday after London’s Heathrow airport announced it was changing schedules to “ensure silence” during the funeral.

The airline said three return services between Dublin and Heathrow, and one return service between Belfast City Airport and Heathrow, would be affected.