Warrington town centre comes back to life as shops reopen

A visit to the Golden Square or a walk down Bridge Street was almost eerie at times with the main sight being stores with their shutters down and just a handful of shoppers around.

Of course, that is the way it should have been with people largely staying indoors due to the lockdown.

But it made the contrast particularly evident in Warrington on Monday.

Boris Johnson's 'roadmap' to relax Covid rules saw all shops reopen and pubs, cafes and restaurants able to serve customers outside.

The result was people, life and energy in the town centre for the first time this year.

Golden Square's Old Market Place had been transformed into an outdoor eating and drinking area for 250 people where the easing of the Covid rules was most visible.

"Outside has been quiet for so long that it's like a switch has been flipped," said Lindsay Albon, from White Lace Cakes.

"I didn't think it would be this quick that the town would spring back to life.

"It's not that I didn't expect it to be busy. I think I'm just used to seeing this many people."

The former Birchwood High student and her husband Graham have grown White Lace Cakes from baking at home to a fully fledged family business with a town centre presence.

But after previously being in the market and Cockhedge Centre, she has only been at Golden Square for eight months so quickly had to explore delivery options during lockdown.

Lindsay added: "Until now we've not really experienced what the Old Market Place can offer. It's been busy the whole morning.

"We've sold more coffees in the first hour than we've ever sold."

White Lace Cakes is usually closed on Mondays with Lindsay and her family opening especially for the rules relaxing.

She said: "We bake everything on-site fresh so we worked until the early hours of the morning for today.

"I've been excited about today. I've dying to see people, have the chance to chat again and feel normal."

Just outside Lindsay's shop, people were enjoying the simple pleasure of a coffee and a catch up in the square.

Coral Savage said: "I didn't think it would be this busy but everyone has missed the social interaction and actually being allowed out."

For Charlotte Wood, it was the first time she had been in the town centre in eight months. She came for a piercing before meeting friends for a meal.

She added: "Walking around the shops, it's weird to see so many people. They've been fed up of seeing the same four walls I guess."

Just around the corner, it is back to business for Hancock and Wood – Warrington's historic independent retailer in Bridge Street.

But Susie Hancock, the fourth generation of the family to run the shop, said lockdown actually presented an opportunity to look differently at how the business was run.

She said: "We had a really good Christmas and obviously we've not been open since then. But we've been doing online and we've been busy with that so in some ways it doesn't feel like we've been away.

"But it's nice to have the doors open and see everyone's faces again. I hope this is the last time we have to do this.

"Unlike the end of the first lockdown when people were cautious about coming back out again, I think now people are desperate to get back to a bit of normality.

"I think there's definitely an appetite for getting out and about this time around."

The shop launched its online service in July for the first time in its 107-year history. It has created six jobs with more to come.

Susie added: "We're running that from the back of the store and we've got a whole new team in for that. That will continue even as things get back to normal."