Throughout the pandemic, much of the focus has been on the impact of hospitality businesses such as pubs and restaurants, a staple of many British high streets.

But plenty of other businesses have also been affected, including play areas and cinemas.

One of the businesses affected is Tot City, based in the Chantry Centre. As with many non-essential businesses, it had to close throughout various lockdowns over the past year. One of its employees, Leon, said it was "great to be open".

"It's great to see all the children," he said, "and now they have something to go to. Places like this have all been closed in lockdown, so they haven't been able to go out. It's also nice to give parents time to have tea, catch up with friends and relax."

He said that lockdown had been difficult, with a number of projects for the centre on hold. "We got a grant for the business," he said. "The money we earn is meant to be spent on fun stuff, because we believe in investing back in the business.

"But suddenly, we had to use that money we had put aside to survive. We had a lot of plans, but they've all had to be delayed."

Plans included an upgraded downstairs playroom, new toys, and work on the bathrooms, but these are all postponed for now. "They're all costly," Leon said, "so they're all on hold for the time being until we get back to normal, whenever that is!"

Also reopening today is Andover’s Odeon cinema, sitting next to the Asda. A variety of new films are planned in the coming weeks, including Oscar winning film Nomadland which opens on the big screen today.

Highly anticipated sequel A Quiet Place II will debut at the start of June, followed by superhero blockbusters Black Widow, The Suicide Squad and Venom over the next few months as cinema release schedules begin to return to normal.

The reopening follows a study commissioned by Cinema First, a body promoting cinemagoing in the UK, which found that 38 per cent of audiences plan to return this month to cinemas, with 59 per cent saying the big screen experience could not be recreated at home.