Advice for groundscare dealers, off the back of Service Dealer's conference call with industry body and manufacturer representatives on Wednesday this week, can be summed up as it's open to your interpretation whether you choose to open your stores.

With this governmental definition of 'hardware' stores being part of the exemption from retail closures, it seems the onus is on the business to run as it feels it should whilst obeying the government guidelines for working.

However, unlike with agricultural machinery workshops where there's a direct link with keeping farm equipment running to keeping the food supply chain working, there is considerably less of an argument to say that commercial groundscare machinery sales and maintenance is essential.

Of course, valid arguments can be made amongst ourselves, regarding how important it is to have well maintained sports facilities for when they reopen and public green spaces for exercise and mental health well-being - but to describe those as essential, would be difficult to justify in this crisis.

Also in terms of groundscare machinery dealership workshops continuing (with showrooms closed), currently the official advice is 'if you can't do your job from home you can go into work to do it'. Therefore at the moment that would seem OK to continue - as long as safe, social distancing can be maintained between staff and customers.

However, if we progress to the next stage of a full-on, Italian-style lockdown, groundcare machinery mechanics would not be classified as key workers and this couldn't be justified to continue.

What it is important to remain aware of, as well as primarily the health and safety of staff and customers, is the reputational aspect of your company. What came out of Service Dealer's conference call, is that it would be unwise for dealers to be looking for loopholes to allow them to remain open.

Nobody wants to come out of the other side of this with a damaged reputation.