NON-essential shops are making last-minute preparations as they look forward to reopening their doors - including Bradford's shopping centres.

Tills will be ringing again in Bradford's shops, including Primark, Next and HMV, as the UK high street will be given a boost from tomorrow.

Staff at both The Broadway and the Kirkgate Centre are getting then two sites ready for shoppers to make a full return.

Both centres have been open during lockdown to essential retailers including chemists, but they will now both be fully reopened to shoppers.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Ian Ward, general manager of The BroadwayIan Ward, general manager of The Broadway

Ian Ward, general manager at The Broadway, Bradford, said: "The team at The Broadway is working incredibly hard to ensure we can deliver a safe and enjoyable customer experience next week when we welcome back shoppers.

 

“We’re working to Government guidelines and are supporting our retailers ahead of opening the doors to the public.

"Whilst being incredibly excited, retailers are very busy on-site replenishing stock as we transition into the spring/summer trading period.

This phase of national restrictions has been a difficult period for all retailers, but what has been uplifting is the consumer appetite for things to return to normal

"The public miss and want their local high street back.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

"We hope the reopening of The Broadway marks the return of some normality by allowing people to come out into Bradford and experience what our great city has to offer."

The Broadway will be open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sundays between 11am and 5pm. The food court will continue to be a take-away service and toilet facilities will be available to shoppers.

All Covid secure measures the centre have been operating under since early last year will continue. These include shoppers being asked to keep to the left, a one-way system, maintaining a two-metre social distance and not shopping in groups.

Meanwhile, staff at a Bradford shopping centre are getting ready to fully re-open to customers again tomorrow.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Catherine Riley, manager at the Kirkgate Centre Catherine Riley, manager at the Kirkgate Centre

Stores such as Primark, Yours and F Hinds along with the Kirkgate Centre's many independent retailers will be open for shoppers once again.

The centre will be open between 8am and 7pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays.

 

For customer safety, the centre’s current measures which include compulsory face masks unless exempt, hand sanitising stations, and directional signage will remain in place to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for visitors and employees.

The centre is also continuing to encourage visitors to be mindful of maintaining good personal hygiene while visiting. These include always catch your cough or sneeze in a tissue, dispose of your tissue as soon as possible and clean your hands as soon as you can.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Staff at Bradford's shops are making last-minute preparation as non-essential shops re-open tomorrow Staff at Bradford's shops are making last-minute preparation as non-essential shops re-open tomorrow

The team are also urging customers who may be displaying symptoms of the virus to refrain from visiting the centre.

Catherine Riley, Kirkgate Centre manager, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming our visitors and non-essential retailers back to the centre next week.

Our centre and retailer teams have been working extremely hard under huge pressure this past year, and we want to extend a huge thank you to the key workers both within the centre and across Bradford who have done an excellent job in looking after our community

“We have seen the community come together like never before, and although our centre teams are working hard to keep everyone safe, it is crucial that we continue to work together and follow the current guidelines so that we can all look forward to getting back to some normality.”

Shipley Underground Market will also reopen its non-essential shops from tomorrow.

A number of safety measures will be in place at the site including the availability of hand sanitisers, a one-way system will be in place and masks will be worn in the market and stalls unless people are exempt.