The Range has confirmed it is an essential retailer and will be staying open during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some criticism had been levelled at the company for the decision to remain open with some staff concerned for their welfare.

A statement from CEO Alex Simpkin on its website said: "We’ve had confirmation from Trading Standards that we can remain open during this period of uncertainty for the communities that we serve.

"We are a value retailer and understand that a lot of our customers rely on us to provide essential items like food and groceries, pet food and veterinary items, non-prescription items, toilet rolls, cleaning products and all at the value prices that they need right now.

"Stocking thousands of essential everyday products across 180 stores nation-wide, we’ve been working hard to ensure we can continue to provide safe access to all of these necessities under one roof.

"Our store teams have been briefed on the latest government health and safety guidelines and are taking the necessary actions to help ensure the safety of our customers and colleagues.

"This includes the implementation of enhanced cleaning routines and social distancing. For the safety of other shoppers and staff, we ask that you keep a distance of at least 2m apart and avoid physical contact as far as possible while shopping in store with us.

"We also request that, where possible, you pay by contactless card to reduce the risk of contamination.

"We’ve recently been experiencing a significant increase in demand on our online store and, while our warehouse and delivery teams are working as hard as possible to get your products to you, some orders may take longer to arrive than expected.

"Please bear with us during this time and trust that we’re making every effort to get your items dispatched and delivered promptly."