Liberation day
SHOP TILLS WERE RINGING AND PUBS WERE OPEN AGAIN ON...
PEOPLE were able to enjoy their first pints back at pub beer gardens and shoppers returned to the city centre in their thousands on the first day of lockdown restrictions being eased yesterday.
The Magic Garden in Low Pavement and Canal House in Canal Street were fully booked as they reopened for the first time this year.
Queues of shoppers looking for some long-overdue retail therapy could be seen outside the likes of Primark, Zara, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M and New Look.
Meanwhile, Mcdonald’s in Exchange Walk and Burger King, off Old Market Square, both had lines of people waiting patiently to grab a burger.
Pubs and bars are now allowed to serve tables of up to six outside as the Government continues to ease restrictions on its roadmap out of lockdown.
Sarah Britton, who enjoyed a trip to the Canal House on her 24th birthday, said: “I’m excited. I think Boris knew it was my birthday. We ordered Jägerbombs and gin, lime and soda.
“We are going to Bierkeller and Bodega later. We had to book everywhere in advance.”
Sam Haywood, 22, from Beeston, said: “It’s like being 18 again, but it does not feel right because you can’t mix with people.”
The pub had to turn people away at the door as it was fully booked throughout the day.
Magic Garden, meanwhile, had 700 people booked in from noon to 11pm – each booking has one hour and 30 minutes of table time.
John Noble, 43, from Ruddington, told the Post: “Today is liberation day. I think the whole world has been waiting for this for a long time.
“We work in hospitality but we don’t have a beer garden so we thought we would come out and enjoy it.”
Natalie Jones, 34, travelled from Ilkeston to enjoy the Magic Garden with her friend.
She said: “It is nice to be back out. We have missed seeing our friends and the atmosphere.
“I think it feels like we are back to normality.”
IT’S GREAT TO BE BACK – CITY IS BUZZING AGAIN:
AFTER months of quiet city centre streets, Nottingham is once again bustling with life as shoppers head in and many businesses reopen.
It’s been a torrid year for the retail, beauty and hospitality industries but shoppers are now back out and started supporting city centre venues yesterday.
Hospitality venues can now serve customers outdoors and personal care businesses and gyms can reopen alongside “non-essential” shops.
There was a busy start yesterday as shoppers queued for stores in Nottingham city centre.
Lines formed at Primark, Zara, Foot Locker and JD Sports in the morning.
Sally Stimson, 42, from Jacksdale was having breakfast outside Mcdonald’s at the Victoria Shopping Centre before embarking on a busy day shopping with her daughter Naivasha, 11.
She said: “We are having a girly shopping day.
“It was her birthday in March so she’s got lots of money to spend. We’re having breakfast out and lunch.
“It feels right (for places to reopen). Numbers are down but everybody needs to be careful. Things need to get back to normal.
“I have been working throughout and home schooling two children. This is the first release and I’ve got the week off. It’s exciting.” Naivasha could’t wait to hit Primark “to look at everything”. Law student Dimos Constantinou, 23, waiting in the queue at Foot Locker, said: “It’s refreshing to see so many people out today.
“I missed this atmosphere. “It’s just as busy as I’ve imagined.
“I will probably go to a few other stores tomorrow because it’s just way too busy today.”
Kadir Balanur, owner of The Cutfather barbershop on Upper Parliament Street, spoke to the Post on the first day salons reopened.
Mr Balanur said: “It has been a hard year for everyone, but thanks to our NHS we are now back to work. “It’s good to be back. “We missed that life – going to work, then going for a beer after.
“We have a lot of bookings, many people ringing asking if we’re open. It’s great.”
Emily Oldham, 20, a third-year fashion and communications student at Nottingham Trent University, was waiting in the queue at Zara.
She said: “I wanted to get a few bits that I couldn’t find online.
“I came here early in the morning so I would avoid the queue, but it seems like everyone thought the same.
“I wanted to go to Primark but the queue is just too long. I’m an influencer on Instagram as well so I get a lot of stuff gifted. I’m surprised so many people came down here today, I used to work at Debenhams and I’ve never seen the city this busy on a Monday morning.”
Van Thien Leu, 46, owner of Unique Nails and Beauty salon on Lincoln Street in the city centre, said: “Today is a very busy day.
“We have around 70 people
We have a lot of bookings, many people ringing asking if we’re open. It’s great
Kadir Baladur, The Cutfather
booked in for today and tomorrow, so we are already full and we only accept bookings from Wednesday onwards.
“Our customers are very happy and so are we. I’m very excited to be back.
“We were very tight with money so we’ve been waiting for this.”
Ruizhi Liu, 23, a postgraduate University of Nottingham computer science and artificial intelligence student, arrived at The Gym in Trinity Square at 7am.
He said: “I was really looking forward to it, kind of excited about that because it’s part of my life.
“It’s really busy, a lot of people. I usually do weightlifting – I have a very detailed plan for my training.
“I train a specific part of muscle every day.
“Because I have put on a lot of fat during the lockdown I have tried to burn some calories and burn some fat.
“I have done some cardio today.”