Many high street retailers reopened their doors for business on Monday as lockdown restrictions were eased

Queues built up outside JD Sports and Sports Direct in The Shires Shopping Centre as they opened their doors for the first time since non-essential stores in England were forced to close in March.

South West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison, made a socially distancing tour of the main shopping streets in Warminster, Westbury and Trowbridge to mark the reopening of high street retail.

Dr Murrison said: “Opening up all shops, easing the rules on social contact a bit, allowing private prayer in places of worship and new rules for attractions like zoos and, importantly for us with Longleat in mind, safari parks is very welcome.

“We have to get the economy rolling again otherwise jobs that have been protected by furlough will come under pressure when the scheme ends.”

Following visits to the three towns, Dr Murrison added: “The impression that I am getting is that people are gradually going to building up during the course of the week.

“I would say it was quiet in Warminster and Westbury. People need to get their confidence back again.

“I think bringing the social distancing down to one metre will be helpful because two metres is quite a lot.”

Dr Murrison also welcomed the launch by Wiltshire Council of a £5million government-funded discretionary payment scheme for small and micro businesses.

He said: “The small grants available will help meet the ticking over costs of small businesses some of which have fallen through the cracks of earlier schemes.”

Outside the Castle Place shopping centre, pensioner John Hurel, 74, from Station Road in Westbury, said: “I came into Trowbridge to go to the Santander Bank.

“I was going to wander round and see what’s open. I have been looking forward to it.”

Staff at some of the country’s best-loved brands have spent the past few days plastering shop floors with social distancing markings and wiping down windows.

At Clarks Shoes in Fore Street, a member of staff stood at the doorway with sanitising spray for customers.

At Absolutely Fabulous Flowers around the corner in Church Walk, owner Natalie Spillings, 33, was busy arranging floral displays for delivery.

“I was off work for four weeks at the start of lockdown because we couldn’t get deliveries from the wholesaler.

“But since the end of April I have been really busy fulfilling orders. We have had a lot of orders for funerals.

“I have been working in the shop behind closed doors but we have been really busy, which is good.

“The only downside is that it’s going to have an affect on weddings. All the weddings have been cancelled.

“People are booking ahead now for next year. All the weddings that should have taken place this year will be held next year now.”

The British Retail Consortium, the trade organisation which represents the retail industry, expected a ‘substantial proportion’ of big shops to reopen on Monday.

Primark reopened 153 of its stores, including one in Bath, while M&S re-opened 25 of its clothing branches, including one in Swindon.

The reopening of these outlet stores are in addition to its previous announcement that M&S would reopen 260 clothing spaces within M&S stores that also sell food.

Planet Games, Entertainment Exchange, Thorntons/Hallmark, Waterstones and H Samuel, Sports Direct and JD Sports re-opened their outlets at The Shires Shopping Centre.

But some stores in The Shires stayed closed, including The Works, jewellers F H Hind, and the fashion chains Bonmarche, Claires and Roman.

On the Spitfire Retail Park in Trowbridge, Matalan, TJ Maxx, Currys/PC World, B&M, Home Bargains, and Knees Home and Electrical were all open for business.

The tech retailer Currys PC World in Trowbridge says it will initially provide support to customers with current technological issues - creating what they describe as ‘Tech Help Hubs’.

Peter Cogwill, JD Sports’ executive chairman, said: “Following 12 weeks of lockdown, we recognise the continued importance of maintaining social distancing and a safe environment in which to work and shop, and therefore have taken all necessary steps and precautions to give our staff and customers the confidence that they can safely return to our stores.”

For the foreseeable future, customers will see closed changing rooms, restrictions on touching goods and one-way systems in place as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Retailers are under strict instructions from ministers to enforce rigid social distancing to avoid so-called Manic Monday raising the infection rate.

Stores have braced customers for outside queues during busy times, while also erecting Perspex screens at checkouts. Many fitting rooms will be off limits, while some services, such as bra fittings, will not restart yet.

Further measures include a maximum limit on the number of customers allowed in the store at one time, protective screens at tills and hand-sanitiser at the entrance to the store and near to escalators.

Music retailer HMV reopened all but 15 of its stores across the UK from Monday, including those in Bath and Cribbs Causeway in Bristol.

House of Fraser, which owns Jolly’s in Bath, is one of the major chains not to be reopening its stores on Monday but will do so ‘towards the end of the week’.

The government has warned it will fine shops owners up to £1,000 if they have not carried out adequate risk assessments.

Toilets, fitting rooms and cafes and beauty concession areas, where they are installed, will remain closed, and store owners will keep the situation under review as restrictions are lifted further by the Government.

Shoppers will have to stay two metres apart and will be confronted with markers on the floor and further guidance on social distancing on shop walls.

Outside stores, designated queuing lanes will be established to make sure the flow of shoppers is limited.

The Original Factory shop, Warminster, said: “We are very pleased to announce that we are re-opening on Monday, we are going to be so excited to be able to welcome you back into store.”

“We are currently busy preparing a safe a social distance environment for you to shop in, with protective screens at the till, social distance markers and sanitising station on entry.

“We will only be using the back door the front door will remain closed, someone will be on hand to greet and assist you, we are also limiting the amount of customers to 20 at one time to ensure your safety and our colleagues.”

Sofa Co Plus, in George Street, Warminster, posted a message on local social media saying: “Only one/or couple in the shop at any one time. Sanitiser to be used on entering the shop. Social distancing rules apply.”

With scores of high-street shops reopening next week, it remains to be seen the extent to which shoppers will be willing to put up with social distancing measures.

Many shoppers are already tired of queuing to get into supermarkets, pharmacies and the popular DIY chains, such as B&Q and Wickes.

High street retailers will be hoping they don’t become the latest casualties of the punishing lockdown that has hit the retail sector hard.

It has already claimed some high-profile companies such as Cath Kidston, Debenhams, Laura Ashley, Oasis, Warehouse and BrightHouse.