York fashion store Monsoon reopens today for first time since lockdown

Monsoon in Coney Street welcomed customers back for the first time since lockdown restrictions on non-essential retailers were eased over the Summer.

Monsoon and Accessorize briefly entered administration in June and although the business was almost immediately bought out, some stores were expected to be closed.

Monsoon's founder Peter Simon,who bought the business back from administrators, said then he would try to renegotiate with landlords to get a better deal on the remaining store leases and he hoped to save as many as 100 stores.

He said both Monsoon and Accessorize were trading well before the coronavirus pandemic, but the business could not withstand the financial impact of having to close all its stores for almost three months.

The Press reported in June that the Accessorize branch in Davygate was to close and Monsoon at Monks Cross closed back in February.

The store at 19, Coney Street, has reopened with an up to 70 per cent off sale and new Covid-19 safety measures in place to ensure customers felt secure.