Milton Keynes intu shopping centre announces 'partial' closure and centre:mk expected to close later today

The only places that will remain open will be the three banks, Barclays, HSBC and Santander.

The rest of the centre will be shuttered or fenced off to the public. However, the central boulevard is public access and a walk-through so this will remain open 24/7.

Currently the centre:mk is still fully open though only pharmacies and food shops are trading. But an announcement about closure is expected later today.

"The centre:mk is far more complex. It requires a lot of planning to keep access to the permitted places and shutter off the rest. They will have to create walkways and have staff man them," said a source.

A spokesman for intu said: “Following the Government’s update that all non-essential shops are to close, we can confirm that intu Milton Keynes will now be operating on a partially closed basis.

"Our centres sit at the heart of many of their communities and provide access to vital services such as pharmacies, supermarkets and banks. As many of these essential services can only be reached through the centres themselves, we will ensure all our visitors are able to access them whilst supporting those retailers who need to stay open.

"A small number of our team will be on hand to make sure our centres remain clean and safe places to visit. Opening times will vary so please check the website for details."

The spokesman added: "We would like to thank our fantastic team at intu who are working very hard in very challenging circumstances, to support our retailers, serve our communities and take care of one another. Our thoughts are with everyone during this difficult time.”