// Barbour is producing 23,000 protective gowns for frontline medical workers amid the Covid-19 outbreak

// The news comes as medical workers continue to issue pleas for more protective gear

The British fashion retailer Barbour is producing 23,000 protective gowns for frontline medical workers battling coronavirus.

It is the latest clothing retailer to help fill the PPE shortage by temporarily turning over its production line after workers stated there is not enough protective equipment.

Barbour Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour said that approximately 7,000 gowns should be ready by the end of this week, when speaking to BBC Radio 4 yesterday, although batches have already been received at some hospitals in the North East.

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She stated that its latest efforts were reviving memories of the retailers work in both world wars where it developed suiting first used by the Submarine Service during World War Two, and “trench sleeping bags” in World War One.

Barber stated that the company completely reorganised the factory layout to comply with social distancing regulations and told the BBC that “it’s extremely worthwhile to know we’re playing our part.”

The chancellor Rishi Sunak also pledged more than £6billion for health services in recent days as part of the coronavirus emergency funding, stating that some of the money would go towards procuring more PPE.

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