Chester city centre thriving as Covid restrictions ease

As Covid restrictions eased on Monday, April 12, non-essential retailers and a raft of hospitality firms were able to throw their doors open to the public after more than three months of lockdown.

And, unlike the last time Chester emerged from a lengthy lockdown in June 2020, visitors have wasted no time in heading to the city to indulge in retail therapy and enjoy food and drink in the outdoors.

Chester city centre is open for business, despite the ongoing Northgate Development and Clockwise Chester works.

When The Standard last looked at a city emerging from Covid lockdown, it was one of quiet streets gradually returning to life.

The same restrictions largely apply for visitors – face masks are required inside and social distancing is still in place, while food and drink establishments can only serve customers outside at present.

The architect has reopened.

That means some businesses which traditionally cater to customers indoors only are not reopening just yet.

But the picture was one of a thriving city centre once more on Monday, as families made the most of the Easter break and largely sunny weather.

Among the city centre attractions reopening once more is Storyhouse Chester, which is open for takeaway coffee, food and books.

Storyhouse has reopened.

The reopening was also an opportunity for people over the border in Wales to head to Chester for a shopping trip for the first time in many months.

Pubs, bars and coffee shops such as The Coach House have made the most of their outdoor available space to cater for customers.

Many coffee shops, restaurants and pubs took the opportunity to maximise the outdoor space available to them with customers filling outdoor table seats at The Coach House, The Architect, Bridge Street Coffee and Vin Santo on Watergate Street.

Bargain hunters have been busy in Debenhams.

Shoppers are also taking the chance to grab a bargain while they can at the Debenhams store on Eastgate Street, which reopened today but will only be open for a few more weeks to clear the store of stock. The department chain store was bought out by online retailer Boohoo and will go online-only in the future once all UK Debenhams stores close for good.

On Monday, the store was looking busy, with hundreds keen to purchase discounted items.

Chester city centre is open for business, despite the ongoing Northgate Development and Clockwise Chester works.

The arrival of thousands of visitors back into the city centre also meant there was more traffic congestion in the city than seen recently, a factor magnified due to the ongoing Northgate Development and Clockwise Chester roadworks which have closed St Martin's Way and Nicholas Street in the direction from The Fountains Roundabout to Grosvenor Roundabout, while Nuns Road is also now closed for the rest of the year to all motorised traffic.

The Northgate Development continues apace.

Businesses are expected to benefit as people will finally be able to head to the shops to redeem the funds on their Chester Gift Cards. Previously, we reported that tens of thousands of pounds have been spent on Chester Gift Cards which have yet to be redeemed in the city.

Ahead of the businesses reopening, Carl Critchlow, Chester BID manager, said: "2020 and 2021 has been full of unexpected positive stories from our high street – we’ve seen an influx of independent businesses open through the pandemic environment and it is shaping our city centre into one that will be stronger than ever."

Watergate Street has new outdoor food and drink dining spaces.

In 2020, more businesses opened in Chester city centre than closed, with almost 80 per cent of those opening coming from independently owned businesses.

Chester was also named as Britain’s 20th best performing retail centre out of a list of 1,000 compiled by retail property consultancy, Harper Dennis Hobbs. Chester is also one of the most decorated northern cities in this year’s Michelin guide.

Grosvenor Shopping Centre is open once more.