OPINION: Looking forward to ‘new beginnings’ for our entire region The long-awaited reopening of ‘non-essential’ retail finally arrived last Friday and the response from the public all over Northern Ireland was phenomenal. Friday, 7th May 2021, 10:55 am The long-awaited reopening of ‘non-essential’ retail finally arrived last Friday and the response from the public all over Northern Ireland was phenomenal. Furloughed staff were delighted to be back on the shop floor, ready and waiting with a friendly smile to welcome the return of new and familiar faces to their favourite stores. Footfall on the first day exceeded all expectations and our hope is it remains high as people embrace a newfound appreciation for being able to browse and buy in-store rather than simply just online.