Trowbridge shops opened their doors after almost three months of UK wide lockdown today.

The sun was shining in Trowbridge today as shops opened for the first time in months to eager shoppers.

Peter Matthews, 66, who was in the Shires shopping centre to pick up gifts for his granddaughter was confident that people were sticking to the social distancing rules, but thought if the centre gets any busier they should introduce a one-way system.

He said: “The corridor is wide enough which gives plenty of space, depending on if it gets any busier.

“If it gets any busier perhaps, they’d have to do something like that.

“We’ve done shopping up at the Spitfire Park and everybody does seem to be obeying the rules.”

Deborah Fox, who owns the craft stall Ann’s Trimmings at Castle Place said that she had been busy since opening this morning.

“I’ve been very busy. All of us traders came in last week to have a clean up and do all our health and safety.

“I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know if no one would come out.

“People have been very understanding and we’ve got sanitiser everywhere for people to use, but they’re being sensible.

“It’s been great to see all my sewers back, they’ve been sat at home with nothing to do for 12 weeks and it’s just lovely to see them back.”

Independent greengrocers, Everyday Market, which opened just a week ago said that opening a business during the pandemic has been tough but believes once the crisis is over business will be booming.

Owner, Murat Andak said: “What we do now, after the pandemic will be ten times better than this.

“The only thing is it’s not easy to set up business in a pandemic and you can’t find what you want exactly. Some products we’re still waiting on because it takes ages to deliver.”

David Hayter, who runs Gift Box in Castle Place market said that its felt fantastic to be back.

"As it's happened I've had quite a busy morning, which is lovely," he said.

"Its nice to see some faces you recognise even from a distance!"

Meanwhile, at Shaw’s The Drapers sales assistant Suzanne Lucas said that everyone was excited to be back.

“Customers are keeping their distance, they know the rules, they know what they’re doing,” she said.

Shopper, Maya Driver, 28, came into town in hopes that charity shops were open and to see what else around the town had opened its doors.

She said that people were sticking to the rules: “I’ve seen people with masks on, everyone seems to be keeping their distance from each other from what I can see.

“I’ve got a mask and gloves in my pocket just in case, but its been fine walking around.”

MP Andrew Murrison was touring towns in Wiltshire to see whether confidence is returning and to see local businesses.

He said that it is a ‘rather alien’ thing to be two meters away from someone, he said that when the rules come down to one meter it would ‘make things a lot easier’.

He said: “I think people are going to have to get their confidence back and shop, and we’ll see what happens over the next few days.

“I think people are shopping and the businesses I’ve spoken to have been pretty upbeat, so let’s hop that we can get back to some sort of normality because our high streets need it.”