Businesses frozen in time with festive storefronts still on display in spring are looking forward to reopening and giving shoppers “a much-needed post-lockdown mood lift”.
Retailers in some of London’s major shopping areas, including Oxford Street and Regent Street, bear the markings of Christmas past, with festive decor and messaging remaining on view as pedestrians passed by in March.
The sudden closure, just days before Christmas, was reinforced by a third lockdown, which was announced in England on January 4.
According to Boris Johnson’s road map out of lockdown, non-essential shops in England will be able to reopen from April 12 at the earliest.
She said: “The West End’s frozen window displays are a symptom of the stop-start lockdowns, and sunk costs that will take a long time to recover from.
“We hope that in a matter of months retailers can once again look forward to a profitable Christmas where their decorations and displays won’t go to waste.”
