Life after lockdown in Cambridge
Across the country, shops, pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and attractions are starting to reopen. After months with their doors firmly closed, thousands of establishments are welcoming customers back once more. In Cambridge, many of the businesses forced to close by the COVID-19 pandemic are now open and life in the city is slowly returning to normal. So if you’re visiting Cambridge in the near future, or if you live in the surrounding area, what can you expect from your trip to the city?
Shops
Many shops in Cambridge reopened in the middle of June when lockdown restrictions were first eased. Places like The Grafton Centre, Lion Yard and The Grand Arcade opened on June 15th, with all imposing strict social distancing and hygiene measures to ensure staff and shoppers were kept safe. All of the retailers in both shopping areas opened their doors, allowing customers to shop for products like clothes, toiletries, accessories, shoes and perfume for the first time in months.
However, while on the surface it feels like normality is returning, the shopping experience may well have changed for good. As @CambridgeIndy says, “Shoppers will have learn the new etiquette of socially distanced browsing – including staying on the left hand side as they pass through arcades, following one-way routes, watching social media posts about queue lengths and being prepared to come back later if their preferred shop is full.”
Pubs and restaurants
While some pubs and restaurants in Cambridge have been open for takeaways throughout lockdown, the majority have been closed since the middle of March. However, from the 4th July, the city’s drinking holes and eateries have finally been able to serve the public once more. Although some of Cambridge’s smaller bars and restaurants may not be able to open because of social distancing requirements, many will again be pulling pints and dishing up mouth watering meals.
Hairdressers
The 4th July also saw the reopening of the city’s hairdressers. Cambridge is lucky enough to have a fantastic selection of independent and chain hairdressers, giving residents and visitors a great choice of places for a trim. With the city’s residents unable to re-style or re-colour their hair for the last few months, hairdressers are likely to be busy beautifying Cambridge residents over the coming weeks.
Attractions
Although Cambridge is tentatively reopening, there are still a lot of places that won’t be welcoming back visitors this week. The Fitzwilliam Museum and many of the city’s colleges are still closed to the public. However, if you plan to visit Cambridge in the coming weeks, you can walk around the outside of many of these buildings and stroll through the beautiful green spaces that make Cambridge so picturesque
If you’re travelling to Cambridge soon for business or leisure and would like to find out more about life in the city, we can help. Explore our site today to find out more.