'It's good to be back': Northampton's Magee Street Bakery takes first steps to reopen as a takeaway

A Northampton neighbourhood cafe has thanked its customers for welcoming it back after two months under lockdown.

Magee Street Bakery, on Derby Road, hesitantly took the first steps to reopen as a takeaway this week (May 20) - but has been met with a warm reception from locals who are happy to have a local coffee shop back in business again.

The married couple behind the popular cafe, Jooles and Carl Joyce, say they are having to get their head around running the neighbourhood shop as a takeaway with limited hours - but are happy to be back.

At the end of their second day back on the job (May 21), Carl told the Chronicle & Echo: "It's been good to see our customers again. We have a lot of very loyal customers.

"I think we've made more money in these past two days then we would normally - I guess people are just happy to have a cafe open again.

"We were a bit anxious about opening because we just want to keep staff and customers safe - but we also can't sustain being closed for much longer. So we've put measures in place and reduced our hours and will see how it goes."

Magee has reopened with reduced hours and is open on Wednesday through Saturdays between 9am and 2pm.

They have also introduced social distancing, and operate a 'one-in one-out' system to help customers stay safe.

Carl said: "I think even if we could fully reopen the atmosphere wouldn't be the same. People are taking the lockdown very seriously.

"It's been a bit anxious in the last few months. We haven't had much time off in the last two years since we opened so at first we treated it like a holiday - but we thought it was about time to reopen before we're forgotten about.

"We'll take things as they come."