‘We are open’: Dawn queues
BRITAIN is famous around the world for its love of queuing and yesterday thousands around the region wasted no time at all in making up for lost time.
Shortly after dawn, queues quickly formed outside dozens of businesses that have not been able to welcome customers through their doors so far in 2021.
As the latest relaxation of coronavirus regulations came into force, businesses desperate for custom were keen to welcome the return of paying customers.
And desperate shoppers did not disappoint.
They queued for a fashion fix at Primark, TK Maxx and Debenhams, though given parts of Gloucestershire awoke to snow yesterday morning it is doubtful that updating summer wardrobes was on too many shoppers’ agendas.
They queued for furniture at Ikea and other large stores.
And they most definitely queued outside barbershops and hairdressers for a desperately needed trim.
Anyone after a pint at a pub on the first day of eased coronavirus restrictions was almost as likely to bump into a broadcaster as a barmaid yesterday morning.
Claire Carter’s BBC Radio Somerset breakfast show was broadcast live from The Lion in West Pennard.
She opened the show at 6am by joking it was a little too early for a drink and given the time breakfast show presenters have to get up every day we certainly believe her.
Lianne Artus, general manager of The Exmouth Arms in Cheltenham, probably spoke for all of the nation’s pub-lovers and landlords when she said: “It’s really exciting.
“We’re all really glad just to get back to work and see our customers again and their happy, smiley faces. Hopefully the sun shines for us too.”
She added that the pub is fully booked all week but they have a few tables aside for walk-ins, and opens between 10am-11pm.
Meanwhile, outside the V Shed on Bristol’s Harbourside, drinkers keen for a return to the atmosphere of the pub were sitting outside as soon as the doors opened.
Among them were University of
Bristol freshers Harrison Gorst, Joseph Thomson and Callum Hill, who were hoping for an all-day pub session after enduring a different student experience than many of their predecessors.
Joseph, 18, says they have still enjoyed life as freshers without pubs over the past year, but it has been more like an American college experience, drinking within halls.
Harrison, 19, joked: “Now we know how rubbish uni must be over there.”
Like most people gathered for a pint at pubs across the West yesterday, they were well wrapped up.
Gloucestershire-based comedian Dom Joly had earlier quipped “Just screams ‘beer garden’” as he posted a photograph of waking up to snow.
That cold weather will probably have been felt by the thousands around the region who had shaggy locks cut at busy barbershops.
One of the first in the queue outside Goodfellas Barbershop in Tewkesbury was Steve Meredith of Spa Security, who ironically didn’t need a haircut.
But his bushy beard was well overdue some attention from the barber who has been keeping it trim for the past 15 years.
Barber Paul Phelps, who has himself been shielding for the past year, said he was glad to be back to work.
Andrew and Caleb were among those waiting outside Dylan’s Moda Barbers yesterday morning in The Corridor in Bath.
They said: “We haven’t had a haircut since late last year. We’ve been waiting here for half an hour but we’ve been here before and it’s very good. It’s one of the few places taking walk-ins. Others are booked up to next Wednesday.”
Debenhams is one of the fallen giants of the high street and its shops will briefly reopen to sell off stock ahead of closing their physical premises.
Joy Watts arrived at 8am to be first in the line for the closing down sale at the Gloucester branch.
The 61-year-old, who works as a sterile technician, said: “I like to come early and get the bargains and it is Debenhams so it’s like a tradition.”
Joy arrived with her sister, and work colleague, Pauline.
Asked what she would be buying, she said: “I haven’t made my mind up. I just wanted to be here first.”
It will open for between three and five weeks, depending on stock clearance, before it closes for good.
Primark, which is a rarity among major fashion firms in not operating
We’re all really glad just to get back to work and see our customers again and their happy, smiley faces LIANNE ARTUS, THE EXMOUTH ARMS IN CHELTENHAM
an online shop, saw some of the longest queues.
A long line formed outside branches across the West hours before opening time yesterday.
Kim Mayne, who was waiting in the queue in Bath, said: “We’re going away today and we need stuff for the kids, without spending a fortune and it’s easy to get in here. The queue’s not too bad so may as well really.”
In Bristol one of the city’s top rappers had got an early – or late – start in the hunt for some new trainers.
Ace Brown said he had been waiting outside Size? on The Horsefair since midnight, while looking for the latest Space Boy lines.
As well as shops, pubs and hairdressers, yesterday saw the longawaited reopening of gyms.
Fitness fanatics across the region were probably glad to escape the chilly conditions outside to get back on the treadmill, rowing machine and other hi-tech equipment.
Joe Spalding, manager at Anytime Fitness in Taunton, said: “It’s lovely to see members back at the gym and to see them smashing their fitness goals. The members I’ve spoken to