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Jul 2020

Ripon

M&S Ripon opens with a trickle, not a flood

Published: 15 Jul 2020, 11:04 BST

Updated: 16 Jul 2020, 10:38 BST

by Tim Flanagan

Following a hold up to its opening caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, M&S is back in Ripon years after it closed its small city centre store.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8LaXARsCEc&feature=youtu.be

On a rainy Wednesday morning, there was more of a trickle than a flood of customers for the 8am opening of the new M&S Food store in Ripon.

Store manager Paul Nicoll told The Stray Ferret:

"Because of COVID-19 and the requirements for social distancing, we decided on a 'soft' opening to ensure the safety of customers and staff."

He added:

"That's why we didn't make a big thing about publicising our first day opening time."

The store, which is the first to open on the St Michael's Retail Park on Rotary Way, Ripon, was scheduled to start trading on April 29, but the planned opening was put on hold because of the coronavirus crisis.

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Even with the government relaxing social distancing from two metres to one, the need for caution was evident in store, with hand sanitiser, a one way in and one way out system for customers and staff wearing masks.

The first shopper through the doors was Janis Stone of Bishop Monkton, who said:

"I'm delighted that M&S are back in Ripon, I used to go to the small store they had in the city centre until it closed."

She added:

"I think they will do very well here."

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M&S Ripon opens with a trickle, not a flood

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