St Helens shoppers welcomed easing of lockdown 'with spending spree' Barrow Street in St Helens town centre, where customers are enjoying outdoor hospitality Pic Bernard Platt ST HELENS shoppers welcomed the return of non-essential shops last week with a spending spree, figures suggest. As coronavirus restrictions eased many retailers were allowed to open their doors for the first time since early January. The banking firm Revolut analysed the data of 4,000 of its customers in St Helens between April 12 and 18, comparing it to the average weekly spend in February 2020, before lockdown started. St Helens shoppers spent 114 per cent more on average last week than normal, according to their data – with T K Maxx the most popular shop.