The shops in Boroughbridge are now open, following lockdown. One shop owner called the town a “bubble” and suggested that was a reason shoppers felt comfortable to return.
The small market town did not see the long queues at stores other towns saw yesterday.
Shop owners were optimistic though for a positive return to trading. Sue Hufton who owns Issima, a gift shop in Boroughbridge, felt confident about the reopening:
“Nobody has questioned any of our safety measures, we’ve had customers waiting to come in for a while. Boroughbridge is a bubble its a small place, I think because its smaller people feel safer to come and visit us. Many are happy to come in and buy our products.”
Issima was one of many shops that opened today.
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Similarly, one shopper agreed the size of the town made her feel confident to shop. Honour Wearden told The Stray Ferret:
“Its only a small market town and they seem to be looking after people quite nicely, its well sign posted and you get gel when you come in. You feel quite happy because it seems normal, its well organised and there are measures out to help. I appreciate what they’re doing, I feel quite comfortable here as in the bigger shops I feel quite uncomfortable but here its more or less normal.”
Not all shoppers felt comfortable, Lynne Crane was still cautious of the shops reopening, she said:
“I think people are still going to be very wary of going into shops and I think it’ll take us a while to get back to normal. I feel bad for the shop owners as they’ve been desperate to open but there doesn’t seem to be crowds of people out. I’ve decided that I’m not going to just go in to browse I’ll only go in if I need something.”
