High street shopping will never be relaxing again – but we want it back

The great British high street has been teetering on the brink for years, and many feared lockdown would finally kill it off. Not so, says Emma Henderson

Queues formed outside Primark in Rushden on Monday, as non-essential stores reopened in England for the first time since lockdown began (Getty)

Throughout lockdown, we’ve watched as Instagram feeds fill up with other people’s expensive – and extensive – online purchases. OTT coffee machines to make up for the missed morning fix; office chairs to work from home without ruining your back; exercise bikes to keep fit while stuck indoors; indulgent impulse buys such as inflatable hot tubs; books, games, crafts – and absolutely anything you can think of to entertain the kids.

At IndyBest, we’ve seen a huge surge in interest in unusual products, from paddling pools to standing desks, as people use online shopping to make this unexpected situation as comfortable as it can possibly be.

What we’ve not been spending our money on is clothes – apart from luxury joggers, that is. We’ve not had anywhere to go to warrant buying a new outfit: holidays and weddings are cancelled, and we’re not expected to look smart for work any more. We’re barely even leaving the house. What we are buying from fashion brands is a mixture of sportswear and loungewear.