Delight as independent toy store in Wigan reopens

Funky Figures, located in The Galleries, sells a wide range of TV, film and comics-related merchandise.

Owner Paul Prescott said the return of non-essential retail had been much anticipated in the days running up to the doors being reopened.

He said: “We couldn’t wait to reopen. It has been awful for retail. We worked really hard on getting all stocked up again.

“In this kind of shop you know the majority of your customers, so it’s like seeing old friends you have missed.

“When we’ve been open in between lockdowns it has been quite busy. I think everybody has been rushing out to the shops when they can.

“Some of the schools are still off this week so we’re hoping it will be quite busy.

“We’ve been letting people know that our quieter times tend to be before about 11 in the morning and then in the afternoon after about 2 if they want to avoid those peak times.

“The last thing anybody wants is for everybody to pile back into the shops, infection rates to shoot back up and lockdown being needed again.”

Mr Prescott said he was grateful to both Wigan Council and the national government and said he felt his shop had been well supported during the ups and downs of the past 12 months.

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