For weeks Leicester was portrayed as the city that failed to beat the virus.
At the start of July shops, bars, pubs and restaurants were told to stay shut in a bid to bring down a local spike in Covid-19 cases.
The central government decision was devastating for people who had already reopened their stores or invested in getting their premises ready for the first cautious customers.
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Non-essential shops were finally allowed to open a few weeks ago, and finally – despite some local restrictions still in place – hairdressers, pubs and restaurants can follow.
Has it been worth the wait and how long exactly will it take for earnings to cover the cost of expenses? Will 2020 be a write-off, and can the local economy really sustain that, even with the Government support?
More to the point, can it last or will more restrictions come in again as the country continues its battle against the disease?
Many of the city’s venues look very different to when they were forced to close nearly five months ago.
One-way systems have been marked out, with pub tables and chairs spread out for social distancing. Extra work has gone into preparing more outdoor areas.
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Protective screens have been put in place over bars and counters, and some have introduced apps for customers to make orders and pay.
Not all city pubs have re-opened yet – with Firebug in Millstone Lane and Revolution remained boarded-up earlier this week.
Others have taken the opportunity to refurbish their premises during the enforced closure.
Wysgton’s House, in Jubilee Square, plans to re-open at 11am on Wednesday, August 5.
Owner Geoff Thornton said: “We still have a few things to sort out but we are getting re-stocked.
“We have been shut for so long a couple more days won’t make much difference.”
Mr Thornton said he was hoping to get permission to have tables for 50 to 60 people on the grassed area of the square just outside the medieval building that his pub is in.
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He said: “Our capacity’s down inside but we hope we can make it up outside.”
Kevin Shepherdson, landlord of the Old Horse in London Road, next to the city’s pretty Victoria Park recently revealed he had had to throw away 800 pints of beer at the start of the initial 海角视频-wide lockdown and, again, at the start of the local lockdown.
In all he estimated he suffered £450,000 in lost trade over the months – money which would have been boosted by a huge midsummer Kasabian concert and the annual Caribbean Carnival in Victoria Park which, for obvious reasons, were called off.
He finally re-opened on Monday, telling LeicestershireLive said: “I’m serious when I say that the tills have been shut for so long that we had to put WD-40 on them because they were sticking.
“We have had to do all sorts of preparation including removing nine tables to make space.
“It’s been hard work but we are really, really pleased to be open again.
“Of course on a Monday lunchtime everything has gone very smoothly but we know we might have some more challenges on Friday night.
“Normally every landlord wants to see his pub packed but we are in the very strange situation that we don’t want to see that just yet.”
He said that normally 350 people could fit in at a time but restrictions on standing and social spacing requirements meant capacity was down to about 200.
He has spent some £4,000 on getting the pub ready to reopen.
He said: “It used to be a simple thing coming to the pub. You’d walk up to the bar get your beer, sit down and drink it but now there are so many signs up telling people what they need to do you feel like you’ve read War and Peace before you get your first drink.
“I think people will get used to the new normal pretty quickly though.”
Mo Barber and Mark Wickwar have re-opened The Men’s Room barbers in King Street, popular with people working in the area – many of whom are still based at home.
Mo said: “It’s been tough and it’s a waiting game now to see how quickly things start to pick up.
“We are getting some bookings.
“We have had the council round to check we are okay to go – with social distancing and hand sanitizers.
“It’s good to be back but I would say some time away from work has also been good for my family.”
Miguel de Ameida, who has run Almeida’s coffee shop in Guildhall Lane for 21 years, said he was also pleased to open again but warned 2020 was a write-off.
He said: “You can’t just flick a switch and have things go back to how they are.
“We have basically had zero income since March – though we have had the same support everyone else has from the Government but we have had a one month extension to our lockdown.
“We are going to try to rebuild from here but I can see it being Spring before we get back to where we were.
“What I hope will happen is that landlords will be patient - that they see it is going to take time to build up trade again and that they adjust their expectations.
“A lot of places won’t re-open again and there will not be a rush of people looking to take them on so hopefully landlords will be sensible and realise it is better to have less than nothing.
“You look around and still see how quiet it is.
“I think we’ll be lucky to take 20 per cent of what we would normally this month.”
He said he hoped there would be extra support from the Government for city businesses to recognise the extra pressures they have faced compared to the rest of the country.
The Department of Health and Social Care has said a further £2.6 million will be made available to city businesses but it has not been made clear how that will be administered.
Leicester City Council has £10 million of an initial £85 million allocated by Whitehall to support city businesses in its bank account but will have to return it to the Treasury unless it is granted permission.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has said he will continue to press the Government to release it.
He said he was pleased to see more businesses opening for the first time in months.
He said: “It has been a very challenging time for the hospitality sector in Leicester which has had to endure a month longer of lockdown than anywhere else.
“I don’t think it was ever expected that every place would immediately fling its doors open but I think we will see a gradual re-opening of businesses as people regain the confidence to come back to the city centre.”