It was a sinking feeling of deja-vu as shop owners pulled down their shutters for the second national coronavirus lockdown in Sittingbourne.

But this time it was slightly different.

Some businesses, like Timpson shoe-repairers in the Forum shopping centre, discovered they were now allowed to stay open as they have been deemed essential services.

Paul Black said: "I think it was because there was nowhere to get spare keys cut last time. People were unable to get into their elderly relatives' homes. This way, they will be able to see their loved ones if there is a problem."

He said he had been surprised by the amount of customers who turned up on Thursday, the first day of the new lockdown. "Footfall was low, of course, but I was only £75 down on the day which wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I feel sorry for the independent shops which have had to close especially so near to Christmas."

The rest of the Forum was like a ghost town, not helped by the fact that Bon Marche had already been closed earlier by its parent company following poor trading.

In the High Street florists Mr Flower had shut up shop but was still taking orders by phone. Jewellers like Topps were closed but had signs in their windows promising they would be back on Wednesday, December 2.

There were more people in the town than at the start of the first lockdown and this time at least they had cake to eat. AE Barrow and Sons was open for takeaways as were cafes like the Bourne Kitchen and Greggs was doing a good trade.

On the Sittingbourne Retail Park in Mill Way Homebase was open for business, as it is a DIY store, but most of its trolleys remained empty and unused in the car park.

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