Queues as stores and

Shoppers waited patiently as ‘non-essential’ stores reopened across city and hair salons were kept busy...

Peterborough residents got up early to celebrate the reopening of shops and other businesses as lockdown restrictions were eased from Monday.

There were queues to get into Primark in Queensgate, while otherbusinesses also opened up early.

People were encouraged to come into the city with the offer of free parking at councilrun car parks all this week.

Friends Chloe and Natasha said: “It is a relief to come here and get back to some normality.

“We normally come to Queensgate very regularly and find it so much better to shop in person rather than online and see the stuff we’re going to, and there is the social element as well.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve come out for anything in particular, but it is just great to be able to come and have a morning out and look around.”

Carol said: “We wanted to support the high htreet, we want it to survive all of this and it has been really sad to see shops like John Lewis and Next close while we’ve all been stuck at home.

“For the sake of Peterborough, it is a shame to lose those big names off the high street, and we don’t want to lose any more.”

Sandra said it was a momentous occasion as even her husband Pete was looking forward to coming out shopping - when normally she

has to drag him out.

It is not just shops that have re-opened today - cafe culture arrived in the city, with a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants setting up outseating door areas. But for many, th e chance to get their haircut was top of the l ist this morning. Pearl C apewell - Peterborh’s oug former Town Crier - had been queuing up since 7am to get her hair cut at Celly’s in Bridge Street.

She said she was glad to

come back again - the last time she had been able to have her hair done was just before the last lockdown.

Another shopper said she had been trying to resist having to do her own hair - but it got to the stage where she had to let her husband give her a small trim - she was delighted to let the professionals have a go again.

Meanwhile after the successful reopening of the Lido last week, the team at Vivacity opened the doors to gyms and leisure venues on Monday as gyms, indoor swimming pools and leisure venues are permitted to reopen for the first time this year.

After the last lockdown, the team introduced a suc

cessful online booking system to ensure members and customers could safely carry on enjoying their gym workouts, classes and swim sessions.

Thorough risk assessments led to increased cleaning (including anti-viral fogging) spacing of equipment ensured social distancing and monitoring capacity allowed much valued regular indoor exercise to resume safely.

Following customer feedback changes include, longer swim sessions have been introduced, lockers, showers and changing facilities are now open .

Indoor fitness classes are still not permitted under the government rules but a programme of outdoor fitness classes has been introduced to provide opportunities for guided group exercise.

The classes range from bootcamp-style workouts, classes targeting specific muscle groups, high intensity cardio efforts and even aqua fitness at the Lido.

Operations director, Jon Marsden told us: “We have

been really looking forward to reopening.

“The whole staff team are passionate about what we do and miss our members and customers as much as they miss the gym.

“We all know of the physical and mental benefits of regular exercise and how important the routine of being able to go to the pool or gym is.

“It isn’t just about the exercise but seeing familiar faces, having fun and challenging yourself with others, accessing specialist equipment, advice or personal training or just being in a different environment to work out – all of these things are so important”.

Vivacity members have access to a host of different leisure facilities and services across the city including gyms, swimming pools, specialist health and wellbeing advice, courts, Nordic walking, outdoor fitness classes and even free or discounted swimming at the Lido.

To find out more visit https://vivacity.org/

Shoppers queueing outside Queensgate on Monday morning.

Shoppers queuing at Queensgate as the centre was busy from Monday.

Queuing for a hair cut at Cellys on Bridge Street.

A long-awaited visit to the hairressers at Cellys.