A scout shop which like many other non-essential shops was forced to close during the second lockdown is excited to be reopening next week.

The 1st Wigton Baden-Powell Scouts are ready to throw open their doors again on Thursday, December 3, as per Government guidelines.

Shop manager and group leader Julie Bryceson said: “We were incredibly disappointed to have to close in the run-up to the festive season, but hope to have bumper sales in the three weeks we have left until Christmas.

“We have a wide range of Christmas items for sale, along with all our usual lines and I hope all our regular customers, as well as new ones, find the time to pop in and see what we have to offer.”

The shop is also launching gift vouchers just in time for the Christmas period. Mrs Bryceson said: “We have customers who come into the shop three or more times a week, several have told me they are ‘addicted’ and we thought the voucher scheme would make a nice gift idea.”

The vouchers will start from £5 and are to be printed on top quality card in the scout group’s colours – yellow vouchers with a green envelope.

The scout group would like to thank everyone who has supported the shop, particularly to everyone who has donated items for sale.

Mrs Bryceson added: “We get an amazing array of stock for sale, most of it comes in freshly laundered or in excellent condition and we get a considerable amount of brand new items too.”

All items are checked and cleaned where necessary and all electrical items are tested and PAT checked.

Toys, watches and clocks all have new batteries, so customers have no additional costs when purchasing goods.

Everything is quarantined for three days and then parents and leaders help with the sorting, cleaning and ironing of the donated goods, as well as helping to man the till.

The shop hasn’t been able to take donations while closed but will be taking goods from Thursday.

It is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 4.30pm.