Shoppers have rushed back to Abingdon town centre’s boutiques, hairdressers, pubs and other non-essential shops as retailers open their doors for the first time in months.

The snowy start on Monday morning did not put shoppers off and the town centre was full of people eager to go shopping and get their hair cut.

The market was bustling and people took the opportunity to enjoy a coffee in Costa’s outside seating area.

Book seller Imogen Hargreaves was glad to be serving customers face to face again at Mostly Books in Abingdon.

She said: “I have genuinely missed having customers in the shop, even though we have been open for click and collect, it is not the same.

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“While we have been helping customers find books over email, actually having them in the shop and chatting to them and finding out what they like and what they are looking for is much more personal face to face.

“I like getting to know the customers and you just don’t have the same interaction online.”

Only six customers are allowed in the book shop at a time and there is a one-way system.

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The book seller explained that they had spent the last week cleaning the shop and reorganising all the books ready for a busy first day back.

Ms Hargreaves said: “It has been really busy today. A lot of our regular customers have been popping in to say hello, and children have come in holding their book tokens which they have had since Christmas.”

Ellie Haddock is a Florist at Fabulous Flowers and she was also pleased to see some friendly faces.

She said: “It is nice to see our regular customers and the people that come from afar to see us.”

Queues snaked round hairdressers and barbers as people were very keen to get a professional haircut.

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Beauticians also opened their doors, Utopia Beautique in Abingdon had been closed since the start of the lockdown in January and receptionist Ellie said she is happy to be back.

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She said the beauty salon is fully booked for most of the week and they are offering all the same treatments as before including nails, facials, and waxing.

The receptionist said she is personally looking forward to going back to the pub and on a shopping trip to find herself a new handbag.

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Kerri Wilson from Carterton had been waiting to go wedding dress shopping since October last year. Originally, she postponed her wedding date after having a baby and she is hoping to be able to book her wedding in October.

Miss Wilson had come to The One Stop Wedding Shop in search of the perfect dress and was excited to finally be able to try some dresses on.

She said: “I’ve just been looking at dresses online which is not the same really.”