Tills ring out as businesses reopen their doors to customers today
Tills will be ringing at businesses across the city today as we enter the next milestone in the roadmap to ease the country out of lockdown.
From today, pubs, restaurants and cafes can open their outdoor areas, non-essential retail can welcome shoppers in store and businesses such as beauty salons, hairdressers, gyms and more can serve their customers once more.
It marks the end of a long six months for many, with the North East being under Tier 3, and then lockdown, restrictions since November 5.
The beauty industry has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic and Just Be in Stockton Road is among the salons eagerly awaiting the return of their clients, many of whom they’ve served for years.
Owner Amy Marlee said: “Peoplehavebeenchampingat thebittocomeback.Assoonas the roadmap was announced our inbox was flooded with messages. But, after this year, it’s really nice to know people want to come back.
"You forget how much of a massive part of life treatments are for people, it’s almost like therapy for them to be able to treat themselves and for mams to have time out from their kids.”
Just Be will open its doors from tomorrow and they’re fully booked for the first two weeks with larger gaps between appointments for sanitising.
Like many businesses, delivery orders has seen Ashbrooke Florists in Queen Alexandra Road through an incredibly challenging year.
Melanie Pickersgill, who owns the florists and giftware shopwithMichaelaBarry,said: “We do feel like we’re a part of thecommunitysoitwillbenice to see people again. A lot of our customers are elderly and I know they have missed the interaction as much as we have.”
Thebusinesswomansayit’s the support of the community that’s buoyed their spirits in lockdown.
“Thesupportandcustomer loyaltyhasbeenphenomenal,” sheexplained.“Ithinkthepandemic has seen people rethink theirshoppinghabits,andalot of people have gone down the shop local route and we think that will continue.”
Gyms have also been a huge miss in people’s lives and Fitness 2000 in Roker will be welcoming back gym-goers from 6am today.
Owner Les Ojugbana said: “We’ve had loads of messages from people on social media saying how they can’t wait to returnandhowhappytheyare.
"I think this pandemic has shown us just how important physical fitness and the gym industry is to, not only physical
health, but mental health.
"We’re very much a community gym and for some people, getting out and being able to socialise with people at the gym is just as important as the fitness itself.”
Forthehospitalityindustry, there will be a host of outdoor spacesopening,frombeergardens at locations such as Stack SeaburnandStackyardinWest Herringtontocoffeeshopsand restaurantssuchasLookoutin
SeahamandTheLookingGlass in Sunniside.
Gemma Dishman, marketing and special projects manager at Danieli Holdings who own Stack, said: “We are eager asanythingtowelcomepeople back.
Katrina Quinn, publican at Stackyard,whichhastripledits outdoor seating ahead of reopening, also hopes people will respect the Covid compliant measures venues must follow.