Watch as queues form in South Shields after Greggs reopens

The firm’s shop at The Nook, in South Shields, is among those now trialling new safety measures following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Around half-a-dozen people were calmly observing social distancing restrictions as they queued outside the store on Monday lunchtime.

The company announced over the weekend that an undisclosed number of shops across the North-EAst were to open their doors again after all its nationwide branches closed on March 24 following the United Kingdom lockdown.

The phased reopening progamme follows behind-closed doors trials involving just staff over the last fortnight.

Chief executive Roger Whiteside stressed in a statement that the trials were in line with the Government's Covid-19 guidelines.

He added "These trials are being conducted across a number of channels, including delivery through Just Eat, Click + Collect and walk-in customers.

“Colleague and customer safety continue to be the primary focus of the decisions we take as we start to reopen our shops.

"Thank you for your patience while we work hard to play our part in getting the nation back up and running again and serving the communities in which we operate."

A spokesman added: "We will continue to review this and will invite walk-in customers into our shops only when we can do so in the controlled manner we intended."

The company employs around 20,000 people nationwide and has around 1,700 stores.

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