First taste of freedom
Locked down Scots flocking back to shops – and the hills
CROWDS of Scots flocked to the high street yesterday for the first Saturday shopping spree since lockdown was imposed.
People were able to enjoy the first taste of freedom since March by visiting stores and being able to travel more than five miles for leisure and recreation.
While some took to the hills, others travelled to second homes and holiday parks, making roads busier than they have been for the past three months.
However, rain showers prevented massed ranks of visitors crowding to beauty spots.
Amid the enjoyment, the country’s high streets showed clear signs that many things have changed due to the ongoing concerns about coronavirus.
Most shoppers wore masks – even though they do not become mandatory in stores until Friday – and some businesses insisted that customers had their temperatures checked before entering premises.
Last month, the Scottish Government announced that in phase two of the route map out of lockdown, shops with outdoor entrances and exits would be allowed to open on June 29.
It was also announced that from July 3, campsites and self-catering accommodation without shared facilities could open and the five-mile rule for recreation was scrapped. With people able to travel any distance it was an opportunity for those who live outside the city centre and away from their favourite shops to be able to make up for lost time.
Popular retailers Marks and Spencer, the Apple Store, Boots and Primark were among some of the busiest yesterday.
Many shops have slashed prices in an effort to welcome customers back again. By late morning yesterday a line of eager shoppers had formed around the block at a flagship Primark on Argyle Street in Glasgow city centre.
Those who did not bring their own masks were handed disposable ones by security staff on the way into the store.
Other nearby shops including Nespresso provided staff with masks, special eyewear and visors, while there were screens and sanitiser at the counters.
Apple Store security checked customers’ temperatures on entry before allocating them to a queue for repairs or purchases, if they passed the health check.
Lifting the travel limit has benefited other customers who were keen to return to their favourite garden centres.
Drew Gallagher, managing director of Cardwell Garden
Centre, near Gourock, Renfrewshire, said: ‘We’ve been very busy this weekend. We’ve recognised many of our regular customers, who we know come from farther afield than our immediate local area, in the centre for the first time since lockdown began.
‘Many of our customers come from places like Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, the Glasgow area and even across the Clyde in Dunbartonshire, as well as Inverclyde.’
In Aberdeenshire, the Huntly Farmers Market was able to go ahead for the first time in months, which saw 13 businesses able to sell local products.
It meant that residents of the neighbouring town of Inverurie were able to travel the 22 miles to shop at the outdoor market.
Gary Boyd, treasurer of the market committee, said: ‘It was very well supported, it always is, and it was nice to have it back on.’
As well as travelling to go shopping, those who want an outdoor experience can now enjoy the Scotland’s magnificent mountain scenery. Ben Nevis, near Fort William, Inverness-shire,
and Ben Lomond in Stirlingshire are always popular choices, with some braving the weather to trek to their summits.
The relaxation of the rules has also allowed families – many with cancelled holidays abroad – to take trips to other parts of the country. Log cabins, caravan parks and
‘We’ve been very busy this weekend’ ‘7,000 enquiries through Facebook’
self-catering apartments saw a surge in bookings from Scots desperate for a change of scenery. Last night, Andrew Wright from Argyll Holidays, said: ‘The week the Scottish Government announced that we could open on July 3, we received 7,000 enquiries through our Facebook account and the level of bookings are the highest they have ever been.
‘Some of the eight sites that we have in Argyll and Bute have already sold out.’
For many, the wet Scottish weather stopped crowds flocking to tourist hotspots around the country and prevented gridlocks on roads. A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: ‘So far this weekend, for most places, a combination of the weather and people adjusting to the relaxation of the five-mile guidance appears to have meant traffic volumes are down roughly a third on pre-Covid levels.
‘Of course, the tourism sector isn’t due to fully reopen until July 15.
‘With the exception of certain local areas within Dumfries and Galloway, travel advice about staying five miles within your home area has now changed.
‘However, we are still urging people to plan ahead and check if facilities like public toilets and car parking are actually open.’