It's Super Saturday' for Harrogate as bars and restaurants get ready to reopen

News that the two metre social distancing rule was to be relaxed and the hospitality sector allowed to reopen from July 4 is being seen as a fresh start for the Harrogate economy and much of normal daily life for its people.

After Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier this week that pubs, bars and restaurants would be allowed to reopen in less than two weeks time, the town’s leaders said it was a chance for Harrogate to get back on its feet after nearly four months of closed doors.

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of Harrogate Business improvement District (BID), said: “This is wonderful news for Harrogate’s hospitality industry and will be welcomed by businesses owners, employees and customers alike.

“July 4 really will be ‘Super Saturday’, and one that will help Harrogate’s town centre economy to get back on its feet.”

Sandra Doherty, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said: “The hospitality industry had been awaiting the Prime Minister’s announcement with trepidation, and they have now collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

"His statement means we can now get Harrogate’s economy fully back on track. I think the first weekend of July will see a bustling Harrogate town centre, with plenty of people looking forward to being able to pop into town to shop, eat and drink.”

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The relaxing of laws will also see libraries, museums, hotels, cinemas and hairdressers allowed to open their doors once again, providing a massive boost to the economy.

As well as the prospect of changing office layouts, using protective screens and donning face coverings as part of Government guidelines for the hospitality industry, some important sectors have been left behind in the great reopening. These include foreign travel, swimming pools, live music and theatre.

The Government is also reducing the two metre rule for social distancing to “one metre plus” where two metres is not possible.

And people will be allowed to meet with one other household at a time indoors, again subject to social distancing.

On another positive note, if the people of Harrogate needed any further proof that life was indeed returning to some kind of normal after the lengthy coronavirus lockdown, the sight of Bettys reopening its shop earlier this week will have certainly provided it!

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