Vauxhall Car Factory in Lockdown

The Vauxhall car factory photographed during preparedness tests and redesign ahead of re-opening following the COVID-19 outbreak. Located in Ellesmere Port, Wirral, in the north west of England, the factory opened in 1962 and currently employs around 1100 workers. It ceased production on 17 March 2020 and will only resume work upon the advice of the UK Government, which will involve stringent physical distancing measures being in place across the site.

These photographs were taken on assignment for the Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom and were published in April 2020 to illustrate a news report about the factory's closure. All of the workers were placed on furlough when the car plant closed due to the pandemic in March 2020.