The boss of retailer IKEA, with a store in Norwich, has issued a statement all branches will close from 6pm on Friday.

A message to customers of the retail giant, which has an order and collection store in Norwich, was posted from Peter Jelkeby, country retail manager and chief sustainability officer.

He said: “These are extraordinary times and I know that, like all of us here at IKEA, many of you are concerned about coronavirus. Our thoughts are with all those affected and the people working tirelessly to care for them.

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“We are guided in our decisions by the directions from the government, by our global company direction and by our strong set of IKEA principles and values. The health and safety of our customers and co-workers across the UK and Ireland is our main priority, and so I wanted to share some of the things we are doing in our stores to keep our customers and co-workers safe and cared for.

“As a precautionary measure against the ongoing risk of Covid-19, we have decided that, at 6pm on Friday, March 20, we will temporarily close all the IKEA stores across the UK and Ireland to customers.”

People can still order online – but he warned because of high demand, delivery times were taking longer than usual.

“You will continue to be able to browse and purchase our range online or through the app, and have our products delivered directly to you. You will also be able to request a contact-free delivery if you prefer. For people with pre-booked kitchen planning appointments, we will be in touch to discuss virtual or remote planning options.

“Co-workers are at the heart of the IKEA business and we are committed to supporting them in the best possible way during this complex and fast-evolving situation. We would like to thank our co-workers and partners for their dedication and hard work through these unprecedented times.

“We look forward to welcoming you back to our stores soon.”

Ikea’s order and collection store is situated in the Sweet Briar Road retail park. The retailer, which sells ready to assemble furniture and home accessories, has a total of 26 stores, eight in London.

For updates on coronavirus in Norfolk see the Facebook page here