Harrogate town centre felt less like a ghost town this morning, as people returned for the first day of the shops re-opening after lockdown.

The biggest queues were outside Sports Direct, which is offering NHS workers a huge 50% discount from today.

The line to get into the store ran all the way from Sports Direct in the Victoria Shopping Centre, around the corner and down to WHSmith at the bottom of Cambridge Street.

One shopper told The Stray Ferret:

“We have been waiting for over an hour but we will see how it goes once we are inside… we are here to get some trainers.”

Another said:

“It’s just a case of queueing up and seeing what happens, I am here with my grandson to get him some birthday presents so I’m sure it will be worth the wait… We don’t have anywhere else to be.”

There are signs outside all the shops to remind people of 2m distancing and people are being told to hand sanitise on the way in and out of each shop.”