Pret a Manger is to reopen another 204 shops for takeaway and delivery from 1 June, taking its openings across the UK to more than 300. Shops will reopen in cities including Bath, Bournemouth, Exeter, Liverpool and Newcastle. Pret has about 500 outlets in the UK and has gradually been reopening them since mid-April. The shops will serve a stripped-down menu to help with physical distancing in Pret’s kitchens. Customers will be able to buy new “heat at home” versions of products including macaroni cheese, soups and risottos. Pano Christou, the chief executive of Pret, said: “We’re rapidly transforming our business in light of the pandemic and the dramatic drop in city-centre footfall. The changes we’ve been making include new ways to serve customers and bring Pret’s products to our customers’ homes safely. “It’s going to continue to be tough for Pret in the months ahead, and I’d like to thank our team members who are returning to work and making reopening possible.” Safety measures in the reopened stores include protective screens in front of tills and limits on the number of customers in shops. Chains including Greggs, McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Costa Coffee and Starbucks have reopened hundreds of outlets in recent weeks as the government has eased lockdown rules.