Edinburgh-based vaping specialist VPZ set to reopen stores

Edinburgh-based VPZ, which bills itself as the UK’s largest vaping retailer, will on Monday 29 June reopen its stores in the city – with new safety measures in place – after 14 weeks of lockdown.

The firm says it can now offer a completely contactless process. Picture: contributed.

Included at this stage of reopening are its Leith, Nicolson Street, Shandwick Place, Gorgie Road and Newbridge branches. VPZ has removed all tester and sampling devices for customers, and has introduced a customer limit in stores plus marked queuing spaces outside.

Director Doug Mutter said: “It has been a long road to get the stores in a position where they are completely safe for both customers and staff, but we are now in a position to reopen.”

Director Doug Mutter said the firm has made a lot of effort to open its doors again safely. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.

He said the firm had trialled new procedures prior to lockdown and can now offer a completely contactless process, whilst still advising smokers looking to make the switch.

Mutter said: “Stop smoking services have been slashed and with the stores being closed we now have a lot of smokers who are looking to quit but haven’t been able to get the help needed.”

While VPZ gets ready to reopen stores across its entire UK network, the full range of VPZ products are still available for delivery via orders from its website.

The firm – which has outlined plans to expand to 300 branches – had announced in March that it was to close all of its 155 UK stores immediately in light of government measures to contain coronavirus.

The business had been hoping to stay open in line with European peers but said it was forced to temporarily close after the UK government “failed to clarify its view” on vaping stores.

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