CHRISTMAS tree chain Pine and Needles have opened their two Ealing stores in time for Christmas.

Both stores, in Ealing Broadway and in Ealing Common opened last week and have had to adapt to the times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There is now a one-way system in place to make sure people adhere to social distancing guidelines, along with hand sanitiser stations scattered throughout.

Julen Prado who works as a floater at the Ealing Broadway location, told Nub News: "The one-way system has made our life easier, it helps the staff keep everything in order."

There was a fear that many Pines and Needles stores wouldn't open this year because of the pandemic, with both Ealing locations opening late due to this uncertainty.

Prado said: "We weren't sure we were going to open because we get our trees from Scotland and they weren't ready on time.

"Luckily everything fell into place and we opened just a week later than normal."

Despite opening a week later and the fact that Ealing – along with the rest of the country - is still in lockdown Prado highlighted how their opening weekend saw more sales compared to last year.

"The fact that people work from home and aren't really allowed to do anything social meant that more people could come buy their trees, they had more free time on their hands," said the Spaniard.

Both stores will be open until Christmas Eve for those looking to purchase their Christmas trees, with the Ealing Broadway store closing at noon on December 24, with the Ealing Common one shutting an hour later at 1pm.

You can find the Ealing Broadway store located at Christ the Saviour Church on Ealing Green and the Ealing Common store on the corner where Ealing Common meets Hanger Lane.