Peterborough celebrates ‘Glorious 12th’ as residents queue for shops as businesses re-open

There were queues to get into Primark in Queensgate, while other firms also opened up early.

People were encouraged to come into the city with the offer of free parking at council run car parks all this week.

Friends Chloe and Natasha said they were looking forward to a number of things in the city centre today. They said: “It is a relief to come here and get back to some normality. We normally come to Queensgate very regularly and find it so much better to shop in person rather than online and see the stuff we’re going to, and there is the social element as well.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve come out for anything in particular, but it is just great to be able to come and have a morning out and look around.”

Carol said: “We wanted to support the High Street, we want it to survive all of this and it has been really sad to see shops like John Lewis and Next close while we’ve all been stuck at home. For the sake of Peterborough, it is a shame to lose those big names off the High Street, and we don’t want to lose any more.”

Sandra said it was a momentous occasion as even her husband Pete was looking forward to coming out shopping today - when normally she has to drag him out.

It is not just shops that have re-opened today - cafe culture arrived in the city, with a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants setting up outdoor seating areas.

But for many, the chance to get their haircut was top of the list this morning.

Pearl Capewell - Peterborough’s former Town Crier - had been queuing up since 7am to get her hair cut at Celly’s in Bridge Street.

She said she was glad to come back again - the last time she had been able to have her hair done was just before the last lockdown.

Another woman said she had been trying to resist having to do her own hair - but it got to the stage where she had to let her husband give her a small trim - she was delighted to let the professionals have a go again.