Greggs stores in Preston set to reopen Thursday

Greggs stores set to reopen on June 18. Image: PA

Bosses unveiled the newly designed stores, with floor markings, protective clothes for staff and screens at counters among the safety measures to protect against coronavirus.

As part of their re-opening plan, the bakery chain announced they aim to welcome sausage roll seekers to the remaining 1,000 sites by early July.

Preston sites opening from Thursday include Fishergate, Tulketh Mill Retail Park and their branch on Sharoe Green Lane.

Stores will operate safely as a result of the pandemic. Image: PA

The chain will be operating a reduced menu to ensure social distancing in kitchens and workspaces, with customers encouraged to use contactless payments cards instead of cash.

Greggs closed its 2,050 stores on March 24, after the country was forced into lockdown, after bosses said they "felt remaining open would compromise the safety of its employees".

Updating the stock market on Tuesday morning, the company added it remains cautious and warned sales may fall.

They said: "We are not able to predict the impact of social distancing on our ability to trade or on customer demand.

Screens will protect staff once stores reopen on June 18. Image: PA

"However, our capacity to operate will be restricted by size of shop and we must anticipate that sales may be lower than normal for some time.

"This will require us to maintain a proportion of our colleagues on furlough, either fully or partially, until sales levels begin returning to normal.

"In anticipation of lower sales, we have limited our initial product range to our best sellers and therefore a number of our manufacturing operational teams will remain furloughed until demand reaches a level that justifies the addition of remaining product lines."

As a result of the expected fall in sales, some members of staff "will remain furloughed until sales levels begin returning to normal", the bakery chain said.

Chief executive Roger Whiteside said: "Looking forward, although great uncertainty remains, we are excited to be resuming our service for many customers this week.

"We are confident of our ability to adapt to market conditions in the short term while continuing to invest in the long-term growth of our business."