MUNICH -- German dealerships have welcomed the government's decision to allow car showrooms to remain open during the country's new lockdown, which takes affect Monday, Nov. 2, to slow a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
The government will shut restaurants, bars, leisure facilities and cultural sites next month but stores, schools and work places will be allowed to remain open if they follow social distancing and hygiene recommendations.
The ZDK dealers association said Berlin's access restrictions, which allow one customer per 10 square meters (108 square feet) of space in businesses, do not pose a problem for the car trade.
"Our greatest fear was that car dealerships would have to close again across the board," ZDK Vice President Thomas Peckruhn said in a statement.
The government ordered car showrooms to close in March and April during a previous lockdown.
Individual German states can impose tougher or milder restrictions, but they are expected to follow the federal government's line.
