The food shops mostly stayed open during the lockdown, including some of those offering takeaway coffee and food. Some cross over shops, that have some food, like Poundland, stayed open. Pharmacies stayed open, as did some shops that sold pharmaceuticals and cleaning products like Savers. Banks stayed open with reduced hours.
With the easing of the lockdown, last week, the Estate Agents can reopen, and about half of those in Abingdon have reopened with social distancing and ideas like virtual viewings. Superdrug has also reopened.
Some shops like Added Ingredients and Holland and Barrett and Pedal Power operate with reduced hours.
Business owners are working on their risk assessments, seeing whether they can get staff back and reopen. This is new to everyone. We got a phone call from somebody who is scheduled to do work in our house. He asked whether we have anybody over 70 or self isolating. He has the PPE but needs to find out whether there is enough work that can be safely done before getting the workmen back off furlough and giving us a date.
