PICTURES: 'Good to be back' as partial lifting of restrictions in Inverness sees the reopening of some Highland businesses
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Inverness city centre was starting to get back to business yesterday as coronavirus restrictions were further eased.
From last Friday the stay at home advice was changed to stay local – which meant that people in the Inverness area were able to travel within the Highland Council area.
And, from yesterday more retailers and click and collect outlets were permitted to open and customers were finally able to get their hair cut – provided they were able to book an appointment with their favourite hairdresser or barber.
Alison MacRitchie, who runs Head Gardener in Church Street, said their appointment book was "chock-a-block" for the next few weeks – with a new stylist, who had just moved up from London, starting from Monday (April 12).
She said: "She is coming on board as well so she will be available for appointments. She is already fully booked for the first week. It has been absolutely phenomenal."
Mrs MacRitchie said safety measures included split shifts for the teams to comply with restrictions to keep everybody safe. She added: "It is great because all the team are back, nobody is still furloughed, and everybody is fully booked."
She said there were definitely more people in the city centre in recent days. She said: "There's definitely more people about, no two ways about it, I've had somebody in just manning the salon and she's commented that there's definitely more of a buzz about the salon and the town which is great."
Gemma Kellacher, a self employed hair stylist based at Aurora Hair Salon at Balloan Park, said she was looking forward to reopening and was fully booked until May. She said: "I am so excited and I am buzzing to get back to work – it's been a long time coming.
"We thought it would be the end of April and I am delighted that it's the start of April. We are very good with taking the precautions and everything – we are only allowed the one client to one stylist so there's never many people in the salon.
"I am fully booked until about May so it's very busy and long days but you can't complain when you've had this long off.
Garden centres were also able to reopen and Margaret Davidson, who runs Abriachan Nurseries at Loch Ness Side, said it was good to see people returning. She added: "It will be lovely to get people back in and around.
"People have been really good – we have lots of good, loyal, customers and we have been doing click and collect but spring is really getting underway so it will be really good to see people around.
"People might just want to walk around and the gardens are coming to life and all the rest of it but, mostly, it is just to see and smile at people will be the best thing of all."
She said all garden centres would have good safety measures in place to keep people safe, including one way systems and sanitisation regimes, and it was good that more businesses were able to reopen – with more able to reopen towards the end of the month. "I think that is the big one and I hope people are getting ready for that," she said.
Inverness Farmers' Market was able to return to the High Street on Saturday with 17 stalls and organiser Debbie McBean said: "We've actually had so many phone calls from the general public asking us when we were coming back.
"Before everything shut down in December we had measures in place, including guards on the front of the stands and things like that, so obviously we are covering all the Covid regulations and then maybe some more after that and it's a case of people being sensible.
"It feels good and, since we put something out on Facebook we've had a lot of people supporting us saying they were glad that we were coming back again. You are outside and taking advantage of the fresh air."
Colin Craig, Inverness BID vice chairman, said: "It is definitely a step in the right direction but it is very much the first stage. We are looking forward to interest building up through April so that when we come to the period at the end of April, the 26th, when all shops can reopen – hopefully it will get people back into the town centre."
Speaking ahead of the Easter weekend Michael Golding of Visit Inverness Loch Ness said: “The reopening of a number of business sectors provides a genuine sense of hope that we are on the path to recovery – as well as finally having the opportunity for that long overdue haircut.
“These businesses will act as a leading light, demonstrating the safe and responsible practices that enable us to continue on our recovery path. We must all act responsibly and follow the guidance from Scottish Government by staying local, supporting local and by doing so we can look forward to a brighter future.”
Mike Smith, Inverness BID manager, added: “As part of the recovery efforts we are working closely with key stakeholders such as Highland Council, Visit Inverness Loch Ness and businesses, to deliver a portfolio of marketing activities that will support the recovery of businesses and continued employment of people who work within them.
“Surveys indicate there is a strong interest in the area from Scottish and UK visitors, we must communicate effectively with them and provide the confidence to visit for the recovery of our tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.”
However, Gavin Stevenson, who runs the Gellions Bar in Bridge Street in Inverness, said: "The night time economy has been amongst the worst affected sectors in this crisis, first to close, and last to reopen.
"When we surveyed a number of city centre businesses last year they reported an average 71 per cent decline on normal business turnover while in Level 1, which is completely unsustainable.
"Support ends in April but the Scottish Government is still talking about our sector being unable to operate viably until November or later.
"This is simply unacceptable and we must urgently find a solution if we are to protect thousands of jobs and prevent businesses going under."
Watch a video of the city re-opening: Highland shoppers return to Inverness businesses as lockdown restrictions ease
See our pictures from Monday in Inverness: PICTURES: Easter joy as Inverness hairdressers, garden centres and homeware shops reopen after a partial easing of lockdown restrictions
