Shoppers' joy as Primark in Sunderland reopens to large queues after lockdown

Bargain hunters braved the cold temperatures to get in line ahead of the store's early opening time of 8am.

A socially distanced queue weaved down High Street West and the queue quickly went down once the store was open.

One of the first inline was Steve Cain from South Shields who said he was there to buy false eyelashes for his wife.

He said: "A lot more here last time, there was about 200 hundred here last time."

One of the shoppers Angela Morse, 49, was out shopping with niece Olivia Parkin, 26.

Angela said they had spent around £200 in Primark "I loved it. I'm really happy - it's class," she said.

"I got the bus down - I've not been on the bus for months."I'm off to River Island and New Look to see what they have got, then I'm getting my hair cut later. I can't wait."

- All 79 stores in The Bridges which will be open on April 12 –

Primark has extended opening hours across almost every store in England and Wales to help reduce queues, spread demand and give customers more time to shop safely.

For the first week initially, stores will open for two extra hours per day on average, typically an hour earlier and later, with times varying by store.

The High Street West branch will be open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, April 12-16, and 8am to 7pm on Saturday, April 17.

Primark chief executive Paul Marchant said: “Safety remains at the front of our minds.

“We have extended opening hours across almost all of our stores to help meet demand safely but we’re also asking our customers to keep up the support and spirit they showed last year, particularly if queuing outside or in-store.”

Other businesses set to open on April 12 include non-essential shops, hairdressers, gyms and restaurants and pubs with outdoor seating.

Debenhams in The Bridges is reopening for a final clearance sale after it was announced that the business would be closing earlier this year.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day.

With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.