Covid lockdown eases: Corby reopening 'couldn't have gone better'

Pub gardens and non-essential shops in England have been allowed to reopen

Over the past two months, Corby in Northamptonshire has consistently had one of the highest Covid-19 case rates in England. At the weekend, mass testing was carried out on residents in an attempt to stop transmission and spot asymptomatic cases. So how do pubs, shops and their customers feel about lockdown easing?

'I feel quietly confident'

Marie O'Connor, centre, and her staff at Posh Paddy's Irish bar were "very busy" from the moment they reopened

Marie O'Connor runs an Irish bar and restaurant in Corby town centre and says the reopening "has gone really well".

"I couldn't have wished for any better," she adds.

She had planned to open in March last year but because of the pandemic she opened in December, but then had to close again before Christmas.

"It's been catastrophic for our whole plans," she says.

"We're in a good position but I fear more for businesses who aren't in a good position".

She says the outside heated seating area is fully booked until May, but the Italian restaurant she also runs in Corby is open only for takeaway as it does not have an outside space.

With Corby's high Covid-19 rate, the restaurant began takeaways only two weeks ago.

Northamptonshire's vaccine rollout seemed to reassure people in Corby town centre

"In January and February and until the end of March we felt the numbers were too high [to open] - we wanted to keep our staff and customers safe.

"While you look at Corby being the top, we do lots of tests and I do think there is a correlation.

"The vaccine rollout is making me feel better, [as] our vaccinations are way ahead. I'm 46 and I've had a vaccination.

"You come to Corby, you see how well it's being managed and I feel quietly confident."

'I'm so happy'

From left, friends Beth Badiu, Angeline Abbot and Gemma Burns were able to meet in a bar's outside space

Sisters Beth Badiu and Angeline Abbot have been able to meet up with their friend Gemma Burns, in a bar's outside seating area.

"It's the first time we've seen each other since lockdown started," Ms Abbot says.

"When [Gemma] walked in it was so emotional and not behind a mask and to see someone smile was great."

Ms Badiu says being able to meet up with friends was "refreshing", adding: "I'm so happy".

"I can just sit here with friends, have a coffee, and do nothing else," she adds.

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For Ms Badiu, there is one other reopening she is looking forward to.

"I'll be taking my two year old swimming, hopefully sometime this week," she says.

"She's at that age where she's asking 'can we go to the beach?'. But that's a bit far, so we'll go to the pool."

'We've got to learn to live with Covid'

Belinda Wood says some customers want her to continue her delivery service after she reopens

Belinda Wood runs Bella Knit in Corby town centre and says she "couldn't wait" to reopen.

"I've been looking forward to it, getting some normality back to life and looking forward to seeing all my customers."

She says she has been "quite busy" since reopening at 10:00 BST, as customers have been buying items to "finish off their projects" started during lockdown.

"Everything has gone as it should do, and the town centre is quite busy," she says.

During lockdown the shop has been running a "call and collect" service and doing local deliveries - measures which mean the shop has "kind of just got by".

She says: "I'm missing all my customers. They enjoy coming out and talking to you.

"There is a good social thing about it, I have a lot of loyal regular customers and a lot don't use online."

Belinda Wood hopes to see a boost as "a lot of people have taken up knitting, crochet and sewing during lockdown"

Ms Wood says with a shop such as hers, which sells wool and craft items, there is "a big advantage to seeing, looking, and feeling properly".

She says she is not worried about Corby's high case rate, although admits some customers might be "nervous" about returning the town centre.

"We've got things in place, we have to take precautions but we've got to learn to start living with it," she adds.

'I had pre-drink nerves walking to the bar'

From left, Brandon Wall, Bradley McKay and Jai Sawyer booked a table in a bar for its reopening today

Friends Brandon Wall, Bradley McKay and Jai Sawyer booked the day off work so they could meet up.

Mr McKay admitted to "pre-drink nerves walking to the bar" because he hadn't been to a pub since before Christmas.

The three 20-year-olds say they have most been looking forward to pubs and the gym reopening.

What about the shops? "No, we've seen the queues," says Mr Wall.

The queue for Primark in Corby ran down the length of the shop

By contrast, Corby's high Covid-19 rate does not seem to worry them, however.

For Mr Sawyer, that is because he has already had coronavirus, while the vaccine rollout gives the others a sense of security.

"Our parents have now had the vaccine as well, so we are not are worried if we get it now," says Mr Wall.

"But we don't really want it," adds Mr McKay.

'Safety measures for the foreseeable future'

Jordan Cuff says the gym industry has worked with the government and health officials to bring in safety measures

Gyms have been able to reopen in England and Jordan Cuff, manager of PureGym in Corby, says he is "extremely excited".

He says: "We were absolutely delighted to see everyone's smiling faces this morning."

Staff have been at the gym to make sure almost 400 users they have seen today "feel safe and comfortable", he says.

Corby has a testing site in the town centre and carried out mass testing at the weekend

Although gyms can reopen, under the current relaxing of restrictions people will only be able to exercise individually or with their household, and there will be no classes.

Mr Cuff says the safety measures introduced last year "have been proven to ensure very low levels of Covid-19 cases in gyms".

"We will keep these measures in place for the foreseeable future to make sure that this remains the case," he adds.