SHOPPERS will soon be able to return to Shrewsbury, with the announcement that the town's three shopping centres are set to reopen.

Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside shopping centres will all reopen on Monday, June 15 in line with the latest government guidance.

Although not all shops will be open, and a wide range of safety measures will be in place to help people safely visit the centres.

The centres' management team have been busy preparing for the opening by producing and displaying new signage, installing hand sanitisers, enhancing cleaning routines, working with tenants on queue management and implementation of the guidelines, and monitoring customer numbers throughout the centres.

Kevin Lockwood, Shrewsbury shopping centres manager, said he was looking forward to welcoming back shoppers.

"We're looking forward to welcoming customers and some of our retailers back to the centres," he said. "However the health and safety of our tenants, staff and visitors will, as always, be our top priority.

"In line with government guidelines, social distancing signs will be in place throughout the centres to remind people to stay at least two metres apart, there'll be hand sanitiser stations throughout the centres, including on the entrances and exits, and we'll be cleaning the centres – especially all touch points – on a regular basis.

"We ask people to keep their distance, keep their hands clean, to shop alone if possible, and to use the escalators rather than the lifts if they are able to.

"And, before entering individual stores, we want to remind people to check their specific safety guidance.

"Once the centres open we'll be monitoring the number of customers as we will be working to reduced occupancy levels to enable us to follow the guidelines.

"Our message is please come and visit us and our tenants, but please do so safely and in line with the latest government guidance – and please remember that things may be a little different to how they were before the lockdown."

The toilets in the Darwin Centre are currently closed as part of a major refurbishment which has been delayed due to the lockdown.

The contractors are now back on site, working within the HSE Coronavirus guidelines and hope to complete the works in early October.

The toilets in the Pride Hill Centre will be open, though with reduced occupancy levels and a queueing system in place.

From 15 June the shopping centres will open to the public from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday, and from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays.