SHOPPERS in Barrow town centre are happy to be back shopping on the high street again.

With restrictions now relaxing again, residents welcomed the reopening of non-essential retail.

One shopper said: “It is just nice to be outside again and not inside.

“The past year has been pretty boring to be honest.

“We were saying before that we have never seen the town centre this busy before.

“I just hope that people are going to be sensible and follow the rules.”

Another resident is happy that the town’s shops are doing business again.

They said: “I think people are just happy to be out again and not stuck indoors.

“It is good that people are shopping and helping the local economy.

“During the lockdown I think people have been adding to their savings and hopefully they are now spending some money on their high street.”

Queues for some shops went out of the door.

Debenhams saw its queue go along Portland Walk, whereas a queue of people were waiting outside Istanbul Barber’s on Dalton Road.

One customer, waiting in line for their haircut, said the wait was worth it.

They said: “It’s good, I am looking forward to having a hair cut again.

“I will probably be waiting an hour and a half to actually have one, but it will be worth it.

“I wouldn’t usually wait this long for a haircut, but it needs doing.

“I am just looking forward to having a proper haircut again.”

However, some shoppers were weary that there could be a surge in Covid cases.

One customer said: “It is good news, but I feel that we are risking spreading the virus again.

“It is really busy, and I saw one person spending £550 in JD Sports on three pairs of trainers.

“I think people are not mindful enough to stick to the restrictions as everyone is just really fed up of it all now.”

Another resident added: “I had Covid last year and lost nine friends due to it.

“I think it is going to spread like wildfire again.

“The amount of people not wearing a mask is worrying.

“In the last 30 seconds five people have walked past me without wearing one and they could be passing the virus on to me.”