IT TOOK a while for footfall to pick up – but Winchester city centre is alive once again.

Shoppers were at first deterred by the poor weather when stores, pubs and restaurants reopened on Monday (April 12).

But by lunch time, the High Street was bustling, with queues forming and outdoor tables filling up.

Simon Hill who runs Winchester Framing, which has been in the city for 50 years, said: "It's been lovely to meet with customers again, this lockdown has been tough. Hopefully it'll be the last one.

"So far today its been good, we've had quite a few customers in. This opening of shops definitely crept up quite quickly, too. It was busy first thing this morning but has since eased off. We are a specialist so it's not always rammed, but people know where we are and its always great to welcome people through the door."

One of the biggest queues seen on the day was for Turkish Style Barbers in Middle Brook Street, where a number of men were looking to fix their 'lockdown trims'.

Dave Barrett, 36, who lives in Winnall, said: "I'm not too fussed about any other shops, but I was desperate to get a hair cut. It's about more than looking tidy, it's also about mental health and feeling good about yourself."