Normality

Bournemouth is a step closer to normality. Most shops are open now. We’ve been in Debenhams and Clarks. The piers are open, and I’ve walked up them both. The coffee shops are mostly open, for takeaways. Mrs P and I have been using our 20 coffees for £20 voucher most days at Pret. I’ve also had a Starbucks or two. The Obscura cafe in the town square* has even provided outdoor seats.

But the restaurants are still closed. I miss Loch Fyne, the interior of which is pictured from January when we last went. I miss having a full English breakfast at Cafe Rouge on Sunday mornings. I miss going to the Odeon cinema on weekend evenings. There’s reason to believe they will all reopen soon, in a couple of weeks or so. I shall go and spend my money in them all as soon as I can.

Yesterday was a special day in the process of reopening. Nandos in the BH2 centre opened up for delivery or collections. I went to collect. I took photos of the shuttered cinema while I waited. Then I went home and rejoiced in a big step back to normality – peri peri chicken from Nandos.

*Bournemouth had a town circle, not a square. But writing ‘town circle’ just doesn’t seem right.