Holbeach town centre shop owners see positive signs from reopening

Traders in Holbeach are looking forward to the future with optimism as shoppers return to the town centre two weeks after an easing of lockdown.

Shop owners in High Street and Fleet Street reported steady business as families build up confidence to resume normal life again.

The urge by many to go out after three months of shielding and self-isolation is any reason for hope among traders, many of whom were allowed to reopen on June 15.

Caroline Summerfield, owner of The Flower Basket, in Fleet Street, said: "The first week of reopening was a good, promising start.

"There was a lot of positivity and a lot of people saying how pleased they were that we had reopened.

"Some are wearing masks and others are happy with the social distancing measures that are in place here.

"I think people were happy to be able to nip out and go into some local shops, but we don't know what the future holds."

Cheryl Hopewell, of Ged's Fishing Tackle, also in Fleet Street, said: "It's been hectic and we're very busy because the fishing season has started so this is our best time for sales.

"We were serving people at the door to start with and then we let in a couple of customers at a time.

"The customers are very happy to come into the shop and choose their own stuff."

A sign that some people are combining a trip to the shops with more time spent on hobbies at home is the demand for knitting and crochet materials from The Fabric Faerie in High Street.

Owner Yvonne Porter-Smith said: "People have got so fed up with being at home and having nothing to do that they've come out to look for knitting and sewing things.

"I hope things will pick up more because I've spent a lot of money on stock."

Less positive was David Cole, of Coles Dry Cleaners, in High Street, who said: "Nobody's been about and I think people are afraid to venture out, partly because of this hot spell.

"It should be three or four times busier in town than it has been over the last two weeks, in terms of turnover."

However, optimism was expressed by Eileen Walsh, of Beds and More, in Park Road, who said: "People have been coming in knowing what they want so it's going okay.

"I only opened the shop two weeks before lockdown in March, having taken over the business in February.

"I thought I was going to come back to nothing so it's been a good surprise."

One of Holbeach's charity shops, Chosen, has been open for two weeks at its new premises in High Street, formerly McColl's convenience store.

Lisa Clarke, one of its managers, said: "We've reopened with reduced hours because we need to make sure that safety measures are in place first thing in the morning and when we close.

"Some of our staff just aren't ready to come back so we have a reduced number in the shop.

"But we've been really busy and we're doing really well.

"People are really happy that we're open again and they've really missed it.

"Chosen is a place where it's just nice to wander around, even though shopping here is different at the moment, with only five people in at any one time, hand sanitisers and a one-way system here as well."