Shoppers and diners return to Watford town centre

The town was officially open for business today (April 12) as lockdown restrictions eased, with shops, gyms and close contact services such as hairdressers all allowed to welcome people back.

Bars, pubs and restaurants are allowed to serve customers outdoors, with groups limited to two households or by the 'rule of six'.

Plenty of diners were seen around the town today, with people grabbing a bite to eat outside at several restaurants and cafes including L’Artista, Nandos and Café Bianco.

However, people were particularly keen to return to Primark, with long queues having formed outside the store in Atria Watford all day as people waited to be let inside.

There were more than one hundred people waiting outside the store at any one time, with queues forming all the way down Queens Road at multiple points throughout the day.

One Primark shopper, Amiee Cousins, said she was “very excited” about returning to the shops.

The 44-year-old said: “I am very pleased to be back. I think Primark handled it (the reopening) very well, I felt very safe.

“We queued for about half an hour and then we were inside for around 40 minutes to an hour.”

She added: “I don’t like shopping online so I am much happier (that shops have reopened)”.

There were not many queues outside other shops, however, although owners were very happy to be back open for business.

Ansu Shah, who owns Stiuls Gifts in the town centre, said business has so far been “steady”.

Ansu Shah (left)

“I am actually quite glad to get back to work. We have had a lot of enquiries about when we will be reopening and it's just good to get back,” he said.

“(During lockdown) our online site had been going ok, that has been our main focus.

“In the last couple of weeks we have been getting the shop ready for new stock and new items to come back into the shop.”

Meanwhile, Watford legend Luther Blissett was also in the town centre today to reopen the Peace Hospice charity shop on the Parade in Watford.

Luther Blissett outside the Peace Hospice shop

He said: “The shop is absolutely incredible. You would not have thought it was a hospice shop, you would think it is a Next or something like that when you walk inside.

“They have done an amazing job, because apparently just six days ago it was stacked with donations and they have gone in there and sorted it all out, it looks amazing.”

Speaking about shoppers being out and about for the first time in months, Blissett said: “I think it’s a great site to see, but we must all remember that this thing is not over and we must maintain distancing and washing of the hands and be mindful of other people all the time.”