Ikea are planning on reopening 18 of their UK stores later this month after being forced to close during coronavirus pandemic.

The Swedish furniture giants temporaly shut 22 of its stores in the UK on March 20th - a day before lockdown.

The furniture chain has since been accepting online orders and offering 'contact free' delivery to ensure that shoppers can still purchase items for their home.

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However, according to a report in the Mail, Ikea is looking at plans to reopen from May 18th - although an exact date has yet to be confirmed.

As Ikea isn't considered an "essential" retailer, it isn't allowed to open yet under lockdown rules.An ikea spokesperson for Ikea has said:

“For now, all our stores across the UK and Ireland remain closed.

"We are looking forward to welcoming customers back to our stores and will only do so as the situation allows, in line with government guidance.

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"As a responsible company we are making extensive plans, and adopting even further enhanced safety measures, so that when we do reopen, our customers and co-workers feel safe and comfortable in our stores.

"The health and safety of our customers, co-workers and suppliers remains our highest priority.”