Hundreds queue outside Bristol IKEA as store reopens

Hundreds of people queued all the way to the end of the car park at IKEA as the doors opened for the first time in three and a half months.

Non-essential retail has been given the go-ahead to reopen as part of the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Hairdressers, gyms and pubs with outdoor seating are also permitted to reopen from today (April 12).

Shoppers also queued around corners in the city centre, with Primark and Debenhams drawing large crowds.

Pictures outside Primark in Bristol show a line of socially-distanced shoppers waiting to get in ahead of its reopening. Credit: BPM Media

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the lifting of restrictions as a “major step forward” but warned people to “behave responsibly”.

He said: "I’m sure it will be a huge relief for those business owners who have been closed for so long, and for everyone else it’s a chance to get back to doing some of the things we love and have missed."


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