The opening is the first of Boots’ free drive-through Covid-19 coronavirus testing centres, as part of the government’s plan to launch a wave of coronavirus testing centres for frontline NHS staff, who “will be first in line for a new testing programme being developed in collaboration with government and industry”, the i reports. 

Amazon and Royal Mail will help with logistics, while Boots has also been supplying volunteer healthcare clinicians as testers.

Boots told i the location was identified in part due to its spacious car parks that are currently unoccupied.

Chessington has been closed since 21 March amid the coronavirus crisis. 

A spokesperson for Chessington World of Adventures told the i: “We have worked with the Department of Health and Social Care and other partners to set up an isolated coronavirus testing area to test NHS workers in one of our main car parks.

“We are proud to be able to offer our assistance to the NHS during this unprecedented time.”

Other test centres are still being set up around the country.