CUSTOMERS to York's Coppergate Centre will be able to confidently shop this year without the usual bustle of the crowd-pulling Christmas cabins.

Pippa Unwin, centre manager, said most of the stores were planning to reopen at 9am on Wednesday, December 2, to meet the pent-up demand for festive shopping.

"Our decorations are up and the square is looking fantastic, and for the first year for a long time, we don’t have the Christmas market cabins, so we are confident that shoppers can socially distance in all of our outdoor spaces.

"Our two key attractions, Jorvik Viking Centre and Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, re-open on Thursday, so even people who are just looking for an escape from the four walls of their home can enjoy socially-distanced visits.

"And of course, we have take-away food available from Spring Espresso, YO31 Wood Fired Pizza and Cattle Shed to sustain shoppers and sightseers alike, and the new Café 21 restaurant opening in Fenwick.”

Fenwick will be open from 9am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 10.30am (browsing) until 5pm on Sunday, with 8am to 5pm opening on Christmas Eve, and 9am to 6pm on Boxing day. Primark's Coppergate store will open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 10.30am to 5pm Sunday.

Jorvik and Van Gogh are reopening on December 3, from 10am to 5pm.