Hundreds of Saffron Walden residents came back into the town centre to enjoy a partial lifting of coronavirus restrictions today (Monday).

%image(15519367, type="article-full", alt="Katie Sarginson (left) said she went to the dentist, and Alice Hobbs (right) said she has a haircut booked for Saturday. Both were visiting shops.")

Many enjoyed sitting outdoors for a treat and a coffee, while others got a long-awaited haircut or visited charity shops and gift shops. Pub goers have also shown their enthusiasm.

%image(15519375, type="article-full", alt="Antonia Overend who visited Reed shops said: "We will be hitting the pub gardens as soon as the weather cheers up."")

Frances Gilyiad said: "It’s nice to see everything open again and people coming back and using charity shops. I think everybody is happy to be out."

%image(15519382, type="article-full", alt="Lesley Moore, store assistant at Barnardo’s, said they reopened today: "It’s been very busy. We have had about 50 people. They are all very happy to be back. It’s nice to be out, speaking to people."")

%image(15519388, type="article-full", alt="Passer-by Jenny Rolph said: "I have been looking at charity shops, I just think they are really good and it’s a bit of a novelty coming out and seeing shops open."")

Sitting at Tea Amo, Charlotte Hays from Linton said: "I got a haircut, and then I came to the tea shop. I had my boots repaired as well. It’s so lovely to be able to have a coffee outside."

Tea Amo’s new owners, Viola Baranska and Vince Fasano, said: "Today is the first day open for us.

"We are able to offer outside seating. We can sit 16 people outside, and people can just turn up.

"We are doing pretty much the same products at the minute, we are bringing in a couple of new dishes, mainly for breakfast, such as traditional English pancakes with various fillings."

%image(15519394, type="article-full", alt="Tea Amo’s new owners, Viola Baranska and Vince Fasano")

%image(15519401, type="article-full", alt="Jessica Marsh (left), who was out with friend Liz Blackbourn (right), said: “It’s my son’s and my daughter’s birthdays so my friend Liz has been making sure I don’t forget anything. It’s nice to be able to shop again and not do everything online."")

Asked what his plans were now that more places are reopening, Steve Millership replied: “Haircut. Pub.”

%image(15519404, type="article-full", alt="Steve Millership waiting to get his haircut")

%image(15519412, type="article-full", alt="Kaylee Young, who was out with her children, said: “We wanted to go for a walk around and go to the pub garden. We have last been out [like this] in December, we wanted to be outside.”")

%image(15519419, type="article-full", alt="Saffron Walden resident Anthony Gayler said: “It’s fantastic. We are going to the pub on Sunday, in Wendens Ambo. I want to get a haircut too, I waited three months. I have had both my jabs so onwards and upwards.”")

Sean Lidster, volunteer at the British Heart Foundation charity shop, said: "It’s been a steady flow of customers and donations, 60 to 70 customers so far. I am really happy to be able to reopen."

%image(15519425, type="article-full", alt="Sean Lidster, volunteer at the British Heart Foundation charity shop in Saffron Walden")

Lucy Franks-Jones, receptionist at Law Salons, said: "We are fully booked until the middle of May. People have been messaging since February.

"I have been here since April and we got 900 calls on April 2. I couldn’t answer all of them so I did 150 appointments that day."

%image(15519430, type="article-full", alt="Lucy Franks-Jones, receptionist at Law Salons")

Jeff Leach, landlord at the Old English Gentleman, said: "We have just reopened today in our patio garden. We are open every day from 11am until 10pm and on Saturday and Sunday we close at 11pm.

"We have got a lot of bookings. We can host up to six people per table and we can have a maximum of 18 to 20 people at the same time. We are only doing food at lunchtime."

%image(15519436, type="article-full", alt="Jeff Leach, landlord at the Old English Gentleman")