Eager customers delighted as Fareham’s shops and businesses reopen
STAFF and customers were equally delighted to be back in Fareham town centre for the reopening of shops.
The town centre was busy with people keen to get back to normality following the second lockdown.
Staff at La Galerie in West Street were keen to get back to serving customers.
Manager Tony Cinar said: ‘We are ready for our first day and we are excited to be here. We were open throughout lockdown for takeaway but it was not very good.
‘Now we are open and we are hoping to be busy. We have been here seven years and we are popular.
‘Fareham has a very good business. We like being here along the road from our sister cafe Stones, which has reopened today as well.’
Audrey Pinchin, 67, from Fareham, had a coffee at La Galerie before returning to her volunteer job at Debra charity shop.
Audrey said: ‘I’m a volunteer at Debra charity shop and we are opening again today.
‘We were in yesterday, packing and unpacking, cleaning and clearing, and getting ready.
‘I just wish we could get back to some sort of normality. It’s not going to be the same again ever but there’s hope with the vaccine.
‘This lockdown was not so bad but it’s good to open again, it means a lot to the charity. The last lockdown was too long.’
At The Crown, a Wetherspoon pub in West Street, the staff were equally keen to get back to work – although they were all getting to grips with new rules.
Manager Kim Deans, 30, from Gosport, said: ‘It is nice to be back. People now have to order a meal before they can order alcohol, and there is a four pint limit, so we are working hard to stick to the rules.’