What people in the West Country are hoping for from Boris Johnson's 'roadmap out of lockdown'

Porlock in Somerset.
Porlock, in Somerset.

Boris Johnson is due to present a plan for a "roadmap" out of lockdown on Monday.

While many people are longing for the day they can spend time with friends and family again, there are fears that if it happens too soon restrictions will have to be reintroduced.Our reporter Ben McGrail has been to Porlock in Somerset to find out about people's hopes and fears as we look ahead to a life without lockdown.

Watch his report below:

Porlock is an isolated village within the national park of Exmoor. While many of the shop owners there will be hoping to reopen soon, some have never closed.

Chris De Vere Hunt's family runs a hardware store and she wants to make sure the unlocking is done safely.

She said: "Well, obviously, our long-term big hope is to have the whole village back, 100 per cent, all our lovely shops back open and all our facilities open.

"We are aware that the Prime Minister is looking very much at data, not dates, and I'm hoping that he will stick with that. I think we're all ready for the village to be opened up again and welcome our visitors back but we want it to be safely and measured progress."

Chris runs a hardware store in Porlock.

For nearly a year now, the popular spot for tourism hasn't been able to consistently welcome visitors, leaving hotel owners Paul and Mel McGee hoping for a "clear idea of how lockdown will end."

The couple runs the Lorna Doone Hotel, and Paul told ITV News West Country: "We don't need so much to know when, because things will change, but we need clear guidance of what we'll be needing to do to unlock, what measures they want us to have in place - things like that."

Mel added: "And also, if we have to stay in lockdown for longer - if once we can reopen we are open because the constant cycle of opening, closing, restocking and wasted stock is costing a fortune."


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