Billed as ‘Super Saturday’ it was the first step for Sutton Coldfield’s hospitality industry to get back on its feet.
Pubs and bars opened up, as did hairdressers, and customers were keen to get snipped and sup.
One of the first customers at children’s hair cutting specialists, Hair Play, in Beeches Walk was Sophia Holloway, 8, from Walmley. The eight-year-old said it was ‘weird’ having it done but she was ‘excited’. She hadn’t had a new style for a year.
Hairdresser Jade Griffiths, sporting a frog visor, said it was ‘fabulous’ to be back working. While Sophia’s mum, Claire, booked on Facebook last weekend and said her daughter had been a ‘good girl and it was a ‘nice treat’ for her.
A queue at Ahead barbers in the Red Rose Centre was witnessed by Sutton PCSO Cindy Tierney who said she’d spotted men waiting at the Red Rose Centre’s barbers desperate for a trim. The PCSO said earlier in the morning there was also a queue at the Bishop Vesey in Boldmere at breakfast time with drinkers desperate for a pint.
Pubs welcome back punters
The Horse and Jockey had a one way system in operation at two entrances/exits - but no queues at lunchtime. While the Duke Inn with the town centre’s biggest beer garden was back in business with benches occupied and Trinidadian food on sale from a van in the car park.
The Slug and Lettuce was ‘fully booked’ for its opening day said manager Sam Patrick. And only those with bookings, via the website, could get in.
Wetherspoon’s The Bottle of Sack had a queue to get in and a packed beer garden. There was a queue too at The Station doing a brisk reopening day trade. While the Gate Inn was busy too.
At the top end of town - just The Townhouse (previously The Royal) was open, with two queueing areas one for ‘booked reservations’ and another for ‘non-booked reservations’. And there was chatter from the bar’s outdoor drinking area in the day.
Three bars closed early on Saturday - The Station, the Gate Inn and the Slug and Lettuce. While The Townhouse - a traditional late night venue had a queue outside shortly before 11pm.
Two police vans and a car were spotted in the High Street with a man handcuffed and talking to officers. West Midlands Police has been asked for a statement.
Sutton’s oldest pub, the Three Tuns, was sitting the opening day out as was Simpsons Gin Bar which is opening next Thursday (July 7).
Meanwhile in the town centre singer and guitar player, Tommi, 18, was busking in the Parade in the afternoon, as he has done every day since the shops opened.
The Jersey teenager, now in Whitehouse Common, had been in London to record his third album before the coronavirus struck, and was making ends meet with music.
A visored Tom Jennings at Treatz said the dessert seller opened at 11am and had been serving take-out ice cream with customers back eating inside for the first time on Saturday.
Most restaurants stay closed
And while restaurants were allowed to open, very few did.
At lunchtime Greek specialist Eleon, Indian cuisine at Panache, Chinese, Lee Garden, famed for its buffets, Turknazz and Sangria tapa were all closed.
As were big names including Nando’s, Pizza Express, Ask and TGI Fridays. The latter will be open on Monday (July 6).
TGI’s manager, Chetan Rathod, says he’s making the final preparations. He said: “We can’t wait to get it opened to get our raving fans back! I know a lot of them have missed coming back to TGIs.” The restaurant will have alternate booths open, a one-way system and hand sanitisers aplenty.
While some eateries were takeaway-only like curry award-winners, Bhaijaan (although it wasn’t open at lunchtime) and Japanese restaurant, Sushido, which has been busy supplying medics at Good Hope in lockdown (there’s a story to link).
Open for business were Mediterranean eatery Farina, long standing Italian restaurant Pizza by Goli and Lebanese specialists, Pitalicious, which had tables outside in addition to its take-out service. So when it came to eateries it was more like independents day!
Other town centre fast food sellers open (but not for the first time) were Beeches Walk Take Away, Sutton Fryer and McDonald’s - the latter just take outs no sit ins.
One coffee shop has post-lockdown boom
Coffee shops were allowed to welcome customers in to sit and enjoy their favourite brew but just one town centre outlet did - Caffé Nero.
But it was heartening to hear Sutton’s independent coffee purveyor, Under Pressure Espresso, made more money on his first week back offering just take outs, than he normally would offering a takeaway and sit down service.
Owners Matthew Hall, who had opened Under Pressure almost six years ago to the day in 2014, was shut for three months from Saturday, March 21 to Saturday, June 27.
He furloughed his two staff members and sold his specialist coffee beans around a four-mile radius ground and whole.
But after reopening on June 27, his business was booming in the first week.
The 35-year-old from Great Barr, who had spent several years in Canada and picked up a smidgeon of a North American accent, said: “It doesn’t feel as busy but our trade has been better Monday to Friday in terms of totals.
“It is always a bit humbling that people have been supporting us. I furloughed my staff and have been delivering coffee beans to make some money as it’s my business.”
Asked why his shop is still take-out only, Matthew said: “One of the reasons is we have just had a coffee roaster and we are installing it.
“We hope to open fully in the next couple of weeks but are open for take-always.”
Elsewhere take-outs only we’re on offer at Coffee #1, while Costa was still closed.
Super Saturday
It was a somewhat muted first day back - which on a day when the Department or Health announced 67 more coronavirus deaths where a positive CoViD-19 was recorded, is no bad thing.
The U.K. official coronavirus death toll now stands at 44,198.
But a revival of more businesses was a welcome sign, for jobs, for well-being and a sense of (new) normality...
