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IN PICTURES: Quiet falls over Northampton town centre as lockdown returns

It comes in contrast to the four bustling days of trade following the Prime Minister's announcement.

A familiar quiet returned to Northampton town centre today with the beginning of another national coronavirus lockdown.

England's second Covid-19 lockdown was brought into effect at midnight last night after it was voted through Parliament, and will last a minimum of four weeks.

But the scene in Northampton's shopping district today (November 5) was not nearly as deserted as when the first round of national restrictions landed in March.

Despite a still morning in town centre, a distinct lunchtime bustle returned to Abington Street by the early afternoon.

It comes after the town centre saw a four-day long bump in sales after the Prime Minister's announcement on Saturday, which one shopowner described as "like Christmas eve".An important difference between March's lockdown and the latest restrictions is that businesses are able to provide click-and-collect services and allow customers to pick up orders from their shops.

Additionally, Northampton town centre's market square was still open today, in contrast to the first weeks the March lockdown when traders were banned from opening their stalls for weeks.

Nevertheless, Northampton fruit trader Eamonn "Fitzy" Fitzgerald told the Chron: "We had three good days and today brought us back down to earth with a bump.

"I thought it would be better than this but we've got to wait and see and soldier on."

The Chronicle & Echo caught Northampton during its quietest moments today in our gallery of pictures below.

Pictures by Kirsty Edmonds.