Hooray FOR THE RETURN OF THE High Street

As shops open tomorrow after 86 long days, get set for the sales of the century. Here’s our pick of the bargains

FIN ALLY it’ s here! Tomorrow morning, hundreds of branches of high street shops across the country will be throwing open their doors for the first time since the lockdown began in March.

At long last, we can start getting back to some kind of normality and wander once again around some of our favourite shops, seeing all the beautiful clothes, shoes, toys and household goods we’ve been missing so much.

And there’s even more fantastic news for eager shoppers – thanks to lockdown, we’re set to see the sales of the century.

Millions of pounds of goods have been sitting untouched in our high street stores for three months and it’s all got to go.

Retailers are set to discount prime items by up to 70 per cent to make way for the new stock and autumn/ winter collections that are due in soon.

Fashion expert Eliza Scarborough says: ‘We’ve never had this before – there’s a whole season of clothing in each of the stores that they’ve got to shift.

‘And it won’t be just the drab bits no one wants that are discounted. Instead, it’s the entire season because the timing of lockdown meant stores had to close just after taking delivery of all the new spring/summer ranges.

‘So all the best items that would have flown off the shelves within days in March if they’d been open are still there and should be in the sales – and we haven’t yet reached the height of summer.

‘So look out for pretty summer dresses and nice shorts that you can wear for drinks in friends’ gardens and picnics, rather than bikinis and cover-ups like kaftans for the beach as you probably won’t be going on holiday this year.

‘And don’t worry if your favourite local store isn’t one of those opening tomorrow. When they do open, it will all still be there to buy.’

But while it’s possibly the greatest time ever to grab a bargain and update your wardrobe, shopping won’t be quite the same fun as it used to be.

Stores are having to implement strict new measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, such as limiting the number of people allowed inside.

‘ I’d liken it to using the food shops that have remained open,’ says retail expert Clare Bailey. ‘We’ve got to expect to queue outside, one-way systems, limitations on what we can do within the stores, signs telling us don’t touch, clean your hands, and so on.’

Alison Grainger, head of clothing and home retail at M&S, says: ‘In store we’ve replicated measures we know have worked in our Foodhalls – from queuing on arrival to limit the number of customers to Perspex screens at till points. We’ve also added some new measures