Bourne shop owners call on people to support their town centre as non-essential stores reopen
Shoppers said it was nice to see life returning to normal as non-essential shops reopened in Bourne this morning (Monday, June 15).
It was a slow start in Bourne town centre with some shops not reopening until 10am and car parks less than half full. No queues could be seen forming except at town centre's cash machines.
Buckles and Bows in The Angel Precinct was among the first to reopen at 9am.
Marie and Keith Bruce, who live in Bourne, were among those who had braved the town centre this morning.
Marie said: "We popped to Sainsbury's for a loaf of bread and we thought we would have a wander to see what shops are open.
"I don't really need anything - I've been living in my weekend clothes for the last three months!"
Keith said he had been pleased to see Harrison and Dunn open a couple of weeks ago, although he had to wait outside while Marie shopped inside.
"It's a relief to see shops come back again," Marie added. "I really hope people support the local shops."
That was a sentiment echoed in Bourne Bookshop, which reopened its doors after three months of closure.
Owner Karen Smith said: "I'm relieved to be able to reopen but a bit nervous. We don't know whether people are going to come out but I really hope they do."
It's been a testing time for Karen and husband Peter, who opened the shop in the Burghley Centre, at the end of August.
"The virus couldn't have come at a worse time for us," said Peter. "The first year is about seeing whether you've got a viable business and then this happened."
Although the store hasn't got a website at the moment, Karen said regular customers had helped them "keep our heads above water" with telephone orders.
Today Karen was back in the store with Peter. Because the area behind the counter isn't big enough for social distancing, Karen has had to keep her staff members on furlough.
Ahead of the reopening, the store has been reorganised to allow for the aisles to be more than 2m wide. There is also hand sanitiser at the door and gloves if people feel more comfortable using them to browse the books.
Karen and Peter also have visors if they need to go into the store and a Perspex screen at the till.
"We don't really know what to expect," Peter said. "A bookshop is a browsing store but we are confident with the measures we have got in place. If we need to adapt as we go along, we will do."
As well as books, the store also sells jigsaw puzzles and the couple hope these will sell well for those
Bourne Toys, outside of the town centre in Victor Way, also needs shoppers to support them.
Online sales has seen the firm through the last three months and the owners also run MJB Music, producing sheet music.
"We've been pretty lucky," said Lisa Sowerby, who works in the shops. "We sell jigsaw puzzles which were extremely popular and the sheet music side of the business also went very well because the first week of lockdown there was a trend to learn a new musical instrument.
"We hope people will come out and support us but it might be a case of giving it a few weeks. People are understandably nervous about heading out again."
If shoppers pick up an item but don't go on to buy it, it will be stored behind the counter for 72 hours.
Shop owner Melanie Barber added: "We're really excited to be reopening but also a bit apprehensive."
Bourne Toys usually runs a Terracycle scheme but that is currently on pause at the moment while the shop owners await Government guidance.
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