Customers have been evacuated from the Reading IKEA store – and there are reports that the car park is jammed again.
It is not currently known the reason for the closure, but eye witness reports state that emergency vehicles are on site.
However, IKEA’s UK Support Twitter account says that the store should re-open within 15 minutes.
The store closed shortly after 1pm on Sunday, April 8.
An eye witness from Woodley was shopping at the store with his family when they had to leave the store.
He told The Wokingham Paper: “Reading Ikea evacuating due to technical issue – the fire alarm was sounded.
“We had to leave via emergency exits and emergency vehicles are here.
“There is traffic grid lock in the car park and we are being advised to go home.”
The car park has already seen one level closed due to an operational issue, but even with the reduced space for cars to park in, there are still delays getting out of the car park.
Other visitors to IKEA have taken to social media to express their frustration with the delays.
https://twitter.com/Miss_Jenny_CH/status/982964331783557122
@IKEAUK #ikeareading emergency evacuation at Ikea Reading. pic.twitter.com/DR6EB0QZGY
— Angela Acosta (@Acosta_Angela) April 8, 2018
When the store is evacuated there are designated areas to go to. If customers are leaving the store all at the same time due to the evacuation this will lead to a build up of traffic trying to leave the car park. – VK
— IKEA UK Support (@IKEAUKSupport) April 8, 2018
Hi, The store will be opening in the next 15 mins. Thanks Vicki
— IKEA UK Support (@IKEAUKSupport) April 8, 2018
The store was forced to close a couple of weeks ago due to snow and the car park has clogged up on multiple occasions in the past.
