Business
Current trading and COVID-19 update
Current trading and COVID-19 update.
About this update from Halfords Group Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \n\n\nHalfords Group PLC (HFD)\n\n\n\nHalfords Group PLC: Current trading and COVID-19 update25-March-2020 / 07:00 GMT/BSTDissemination of a Regulatory Announcement, transmitted by EQS Group.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.\n\n\n \n\n25 March 2020 \n\n \n\nHalfords Group plc \n\n(\"Halfords\" or \"The Group\")\n\n \n\nCurrent trading and COVID-19 update\n\n \n\nHalfords is providing an update today on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business, along with the measures it is taking to actively manage the risks to its customers and colleagues. Each day we are learning more about the effects of the pandemic as well as evolving government interventions. We are modelling a range of scenarios to understand the potential impact on sales, profit and cashflow and to support decisions on mitigating actions. Whilst we are confident that the post-pandemic future of the business remains strong, trading in the near term is likely to be severely impacted. \n\n \n\nSupporting our customers and colleagues\n\nThe health and safety of our customers and colleagues remains our top priority and we are committed to supporting them and our wider communities at such a difficult time. As the UK's largest independent provider of motoring and cycling services, we have an essential role to play in keeping the UK moving. Each month, we carry out more than a quarter of a million motoring jobs in our retail stores, over 100,000 jobs in our garages and approximately 12,500 motoring jobs at people's homes or workplaces using our fleet of mobile vans. Every month we see over 50,000 vehicles with serious safety defects and a further 100,000 vehicles with issues requiring attention. Many key workers rely on us to keep their motor fleet running, including the Ministry of Defence, the British Transport Police and several large UK utility companies. Alongside this, we carry out over 200,000 bike builds, services and repairs every month and over 40% of the Government backed Cycle2Work scheme in the UK is delivered through our Retail business. Halfords is uniquely positioned to keep the UK's cars and bikes on the road and safe to drive or ride, providing vital support to emergency workers, fleet operations, key workers and the general population as they travel for essent...