Sunderland prepares to #SupportLocal as city's shops get ready to reopen next week

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last month that non-essential retailers would be permitted to open to customers again from Monday, June 15 – next week – if certain measures were adhered to and infection rates continued to decline.

This included bookies, charity shops, fashion retailers, gift shops and retail spaces in theatres, libraries, heritage sites and tourism sites.

Shops will only be able to reopen from Monday if they have completed a Covid-19 risk assessment and can implement social distancing measures.

It will be a landmark day for many businesses, which were ordered to shut the doors in March as the Government introduced lockdown measures to slow the spread of the virus.

Some have voiced concerns about shops reopening too soon and how they will continue to shop for essentials only, while others have heralded the return of some Sunderland businesses, and pledged to shop locally.

Readers also shared the shops they can’t wait to visit.

Here’s what you said on Facebook:

Tony Isles: “Save their jobs, save their businesses, follow guidance use common sense and let's get back to some normality.”

Margaret Gray: “High streets need our support.”

Keith Mullen: “Jacky White’s Indoor Market. To see and support small traders by getting some saveloys and see if I can get some white pudding – the latter I've not had for a while. Also there's a good fruit shop in there.”

Carole Burns: “We need to support the businesses and all of the staff that work there. I will be doing the same for the local restaurants and coffee shops once they open too. It will be sad if they close because people don’t use them.”

Jennifer Moore: “Frances Marshall Hairdressing.”

Sarah Louise Fairclough: “My kids are missing HMV, Waterstones and Lush.”

Alex Harker: “Yes some retail therapy overdue and to help business get back on their feet. Just to have a sense of some form of normality.”

Cath Hanratty: “New City Cobbler Holmeside, great service.”

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